


Dream Girl

by hughie87



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2018-02-23 21:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 48,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2557091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hughie87/pseuds/hughie87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chloe is kidnapped by a maniacal medical student intent on overcoming death, Clark must work quickly to make sure Chloe is not the his next victim of his dangerous wonder drug. In the weeks that follow, Clark realizes just what Chloe means to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seized

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first piece of fanfiction I had ever written. I have certainly come a long way since then, but I still love the storyline. I hope y'all do, too. :)

Sitting in front of her computer, Chloe stared at the flashing cursor. Along with newspaper articles and medical reports, notes, pieces of paper and post-its of many colors surrounded her, yet there were only two paragraphs on the screen and the article was due tomorrow with a required ten.   
  


Chloe inhaled and then blew the breath out, fluttering her long bangs that were swept sideways across her forehead. Bowing her head, Chloe reached deep back into her brains. Usually her vernacular was right on target, but tonight there seemed to be no words. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Zero.   
  


Chloe raised her head and looked back at her screen. It mocked her. Glaring back at it, Chloe decided thirty more minutes of procrastination wouldn’t hurt anything. She glanced at her watch. Ten-thirty. After a short walk around campus to clear her mind and get the creative juices flowing, the eleventh hour should prove to be very fruitful.   
  


While her computer powered down, Chloe quickly scribbled a note to her sleeping dorm-mate. Chloe would hate for Lana to wake up and worry when she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Sliding into her coat, Chloe placed the bright green note where Lana was sure to see it; against the framed picture of Clark kept on Lana’s bedside table.  
  


On a whim, Chloe lowered her face so she was eye level with the picture. Her breath caught; as it always did when she saw Clark, paper or live version. As usual, Chloe marveled at Clark’s attractiveness. Well-built and strong at over six feet tall, Clark possessed thick, dark, run-your-fingers-through-it hair with deep set blue-green eyes peering out from under shapely brows and a cute little nose just above plump lips which made her mouth water. He was the prettiest man Chloe had ever seen and yet he screamed masculinity. Just being near Clark set Chloe’s hormones raging!  
  


But his looks weren’t all that made Chloe long for Clark. He was truthful (when it counted), trust-worthy, responsible, charming, funny, to name only a few. The list could go on for miles and in Chloe’s mind it did. There was also this thing where Clark could crush granite in his bare hands and throw cars over his head as if they weighed nothing that was a major turn on.  
  


Slowly and quietly, so as not to wake Lana, Chloe took the picture in her hands and rose to her complete five foot two height. The photo was in color and looked as if Clark were standing outside his barn, smiling into the camera; smiling at Lana. The full smile with both dimples and all the white teeth most could not get from him. Love seemed to be radiating from Clark’s eyes and for a moment, Chloe allowed herself to dream it was her Clark was looking at.  
  
Lana made a noise in her sleep and Chloe quickly put the picture down, fearful of Lana waking up to catch Chloe ogling her boyfriend. Although Chloe was aware Lana knew about her feelings for Clark, she preferred to make believe she was truly over Clark which was, in fact, a big fat lie. Chloe also had a sneaky feeling both Lana and Clark knew that it wasn’t the case either, but never had one of them talked about it to Chloe. A fact she wasn’t sure she appreciated or disliked at this moment. Chloe met Clark in eighth grade, five years ago; when Lionel Luthor transferred her father, Gabe Sullivan, out to the Smallville Luthorcorp plant as plant manager for son Lex Luthor. Chloe was devastated over being up-rooted from thriving Metropolis only to be re-deposited in the small town soil of Smallville; the World’s Meteor Capital its only claim to fame. But soon she’d met Clark Kent and Pete Ross, the boys quickly becoming her two closest friends. Lana Lang joined the group in the ninth grade after a somewhat rocky start when Chloe accused her of trying to steal the Torch from her (along with Clark, though then and still now, that had never been voiced).  
  
Chloe fell in love with Clark on day one. Day two she kissed him, testing the waters. Later, Clark admitted, quite to his embarrassment, it’d been his first kiss. Although he didn’t return the kiss with the gusto in which Chloe gave it, somehow the two teenagers bonded and the kiss led to one of the most trusting and caring relationships Chloe ever had.   
  
Clark loved her completely. Not in the way Chloe loved him, but she knew he loved her in the purest sense. No romantic feelings were involved, though Chloe pretended at times, the Spring Formal their freshmen year being one of those times. Chloe shook her head, refusing to settle into the memory. So many hurts resided in her heart concerning Clark but so many good things outweighed the bad it was hard to remember why seeing him would sometimes cause a sharp prick of pain.  
  
Releasing a breath, Chloe turned to the door, knowing she’d spent precious moments brooding and that was Clark’s department. As she grasped the door knob, a tiny beep sounded. Checking her own phone, she heard it again and Chloe once more turned to the interior of the room. After several beeps, she pinpointed the noise coming from below a pile of Lana’s dirty clothes. Digging through the pile, Chloe came up with a pair of Lana’s jeans; the cell phone in the hip pocket. Chloe took the phone out and flipped the phone open. A text message opened itself instantly on the screen:

_“Had a great time today. Love ya. Goodnight.”_

To Chloe’s dismay and confusion, tears filled her eyes. Clark, of course, because who else would be texting Lana such a personal message?  Suddenly, a wave of jealously possessed her and to her ever-lasting shame, she hit the delete button. After it erased, Chloe set the phone on the nightstand next to her note and thoroughly disgusted with herself, flew quietly from the room.

Outside the dorm she made her way into the night racked with guilt. Lana was her best friend! Clark was her best friend and the love of her life! She should be happy for them! Much to her chagrin, they made each other happier than Chloe had ever seen them. They were going through a rough patch right now but their love would see them through like all the other times before. But that thought still didn’t keep her from feeling jealous and hateful and sad.

Not liking the way her power walk was going, Chloe put the incident behind her in true Chloe fashion. She would deal with and apologize accordingly if it ever came up again.

Chloe breathed in the cold air deeply. She always loved nights that were cold, crisp and clear. Looking up, she gazed at the stars twinkling above her. They were much brighter in Smallville and she thought it a tiny miracle you could see them here.  The miracle of the night was not taken for granted by one member of Met U tonight, she thought. Chloe made her way around the well-lit student areas, letting her mind wander. At times she would rein it in, like the times it wandered too close to Clark.

Determinedly, she settled going over what she knew about the case she was currently working on. It seemed there was a new drug ring going around Met U. After a boy in one of her classes was removed due to seizures and vomiting, she’d kept her ear close to the ground and heard a couple of other students were removed for the exact same symptoms.

From a source, she heard there had been five that week and seven the week before. Chloe proceeded to do some digging. Her journalism professor urged them to write articles dealing in the current stream. This time, they were to search out a story on campus, do their own research/undercover work and present it in a month. Chloe had all her information and all the makings of a hard-hitting piece of journalism, but no article. All she had now was the disappointing start of a piece of fiction not even worthy of the pages of the Inquisitor.

Chloe rounded a corner. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. Swearing she’d heard footsteps behind her, she scanned the perimeter and seeing nothing but the empty and still grounds of Met U continued on. Trying to put sentences together in her mind, Chloe circled back to her dorm building. Looking up at the tall structure she knew her thirty minutes were not going to cut it. Beginning her walk again, Chloe elected to go the other direction, over toward the Student Embassy.

As far as she knew, the drug was called New Death. From what she could dig up and drag out of people, the ring started in mid-August right after classes began, two and a half months ago. It was headed up by two medical students and offered the chance for users to experience death. Some participants told her they visited loved ones who’d gone beyond. Other said they’d gained affirmation for their lives or a glimpse of what the future held for them.

Chloe also learned from the slippery mouth of a student nurse in the infirmary four of the twelve students died a day or so after being brought in. The remaining eight were in a comatose state with very little brain activity. As Chloe usually did, she weeded out another source in the infirmary and he was more than happy to confirm her information and added there had been no histories of seizures in any of the affected users, dead or alive. This little factoid Chloe found to be very interesting.

But the kicker was the drug was in liquid form and glowed bright, neon green. It seemed these dealers were combining some sort of medical narcotic used in the lethal injection along with refined meteor rock. Kryptonite. After discovering that, Chloe threw herself at the case. In a month’s time Chloe gathered a plethora of information and planned an entire expose for tomorrow. If only inspiration would hit her and give her the words! As if on cue, Chloe’s phone vibrated and she whipped it out of her pocket. Seeing the name on the screen, a smile graced her face, stretching from ear to ear. Opening the text message, she read:

_“What are you doing?”_

Seemed Mr. Kent was bored out on his farm. Chloe responded, her fingers flying over the keys:

_“Taking a walk around campus. Writer’s block.”_

  
She didn’t need to wait long for his response. Along with being able to run at super-speed, he must be able to type out messages speedily.  It read:

_“What, now? At night? By YOURSELF?!”_

Chloe laughed out loud. A couple of weeks ago, she’d been possessed by the vengeful spirit of a girl who’d been murdered and then buried behind Lois’ bathroom mirror in the Talon’s upstairs apartment. Lex and Lois, along with Lana, placed Chloe in Belle Reve, the state’s mental institution, for hallucinations after finding out it might be a hereditary illness passed down from her mother. Clark broke Chloe out, bringing the wrath of Lois, Lex and Lana down upon himself for his stunt.

The man who killed the girl turned out to be an orderly at Belle Reve and kidnapped Chloe and then tried to kill Lois when she tried to rescue Chloe. Only when Chloe/Vengeful Girl stabbed the abductor, was Chloe released, the spirit knowing her murderer had been brought to justice. And before that, Lana almost became a member of the Eternal Darkness Committee; head Vampire-ess of a local kiss masquerading as a sorority house at Met U, trying to bring Clark over with her. Chloe couldn’t blame Clark for trying to keep tabs on his two favorite gals. Sighing, she typed out her reply:

_“Yes, now. Yes, at night. Yes, by myself. Lana is asleep.”_

Chloe was ever so able to take care of herself. Of course, seeing Clark smash concrete to smithereens kind of gave her some doubts but she had yet to meet a situation where she could not think, talk or distract her way out of. When she did come to the end of her rope, she waited patiently, complied with demands, entertaining herself with all the expressions that would cross the faces when Clark rode to Chloe’s rescue. She knew there was no place she could go where Clark could not or would not find her. Clark would go to the ends of the earth to find her. Chloe admitted as long as she had Clark there was no real danger out there for her.

Lana may have Clark’s heart, but Chloe had his secret. As long as she was Clark’s Secret Keeper, she was a step ahead of Lana; as long as she was Secret Keeper, she’d have Clark. It might not be the healthiest of view-points, but at least she had something of Clark all to herself.

Her phone buzzed again, no doubt telling Chloe that Clark was available at a moment’s notice (literally) if she wanted company. But right as her phone had buzzed Chloe saw some sort of shadow flash on the ground in front of her. Chloe stopped and turned, this time sure someone was behind her. She squinted and then out from behind a tree stepped a tall, lanky man. Chloe’s heart rate quickened and then started speeding as he began to walk towards her. Chloe turned and began walking faster. No stranger to danger, her eyes began to flick around, looking for a weapon, looking for shelter, anything to use in her advantage.

Finally, she broke into a run with the Student Embassy as her destination just a couple hundred yards away from her. Chloe soon heard the pounding of heavy footfalls behind her and was not surprised when she was overtaken. An arm reached out and caught the sleeve of her coat. Hoping to evade her captor, Chloe began to shrug out of the jacket and make a run for it. Soon another man joined the first and took hold of her other arm. Counting on using their own weight against them, Chloe continued to struggle. Throwing herself to the ground, Chloe felt them follow her, landing with a solid thud. Knowing her small stature would give her some sort of advantage, Chloe was up in a flash and running.

Daring a look behind her, she saw both men were on their feet and gaining fast. Like a miracle, just as the smaller of the two got in range to tackle Chloe, the phone she had somehow kept a hold of during the earlier tussle, began to ring. Arms came out and caught her around the waist as Chloe scrambled to answer the call. She knew it was Clark. She just knew it! Her finger found the right button as Chloe and the man fell to the ground in a scuffle.

"Clark!!!" Chloe screamed into the deserted night. _"Help!!!"_

The second, larger man finally reached them and under his heaving and wheezing, she could hear Clark’s own frantic voice.

"She has as phone! Get it!" The man desperately trying to hold Chloe down ordered the larger.

_"No!!! Clark!!! Help me!!! Clark!!!"_

The smaller man succeeded in pinning Chloe’s arms to her sides as the other yanked the phone out of her grip. The larger man looked down at Chloe, her phone held in his meaty hand, smiling evilly. Chloe could still hear Clark calling her name.

The man raised the phone to his ear and spoke darkly. “Say bye-bye to your girlfriend, Lover-boy.”

_"Clark!!!"_ Chloe cried once before she felt a numbing pain in the back of her skull and she was sucked into inky blackness.


	2. Distress

_"Clark!!!"_ The said superhero stood in the middle of his loft, phone gripped in hand very dangerously close to being crushed.

_“Chloe!!!”_ Clark’s eyes went wide with fear. For the second time this year he just stood, powerless to help one of the most important people in his life. First his father and now Chloe; this could not be happening to him!

_"Say bye-bye to your girlfriend, Lover-boy,"_ said an evil voice filled with malice.

_“Chloe!  No!!!”_ Clark roared as the phone went dead in his hand. With deadly force, Clark threw the phone, causing it to shatter as it smashed through the barn wall. No other coherent thought in his mind with the exception of getting to Chloe, Clark jumped from the third floor of his loft and landed with a thunderous crash. In seconds Clark was gone, running down the country roads soon leading to more populated areas on the way to Metropolis. A short time later, Clark arrived at the Met U campus, eerily quiet for a college. Taking a look around and seeing nothing, Clark sped off to conduct a proper search of the entire campus still finding nothing, as he returned a second later.

"It’s not possible," Clark muttered. Not with his speed. How did he miss them? He couldn’t see or hear anyone one around. Somehow he missed them.

Clark stood quietly before falling to his knees in the damp grass. How? Only seconds before she cried out for him. How? Not Chloe. Why Chloe? He’d already lost his father and it was too soon to loose someone else Clark cared for. His heart wouldn’t stand anymore pain than it already dealt with on a daily basis. “I will find you. I will save you,” Clark growled to the night surrounding him.

He had been unable to save his father, but he would save Chloe. Pushing off his knees, Clark raced to the dorm Chloe shared with Lana. Stopping himself just barely before barging in, Clark knocked. He knocked again, more forcefully.

"Chloe… You’ve got to start remembering your key…" Clark heard Lana’s groggy voice mumble before she opened the door in a tank and a pair of his boxers, hair in disarray around her shoulders.

"Clark? What are you doing here? It’s almost midnight!" Lana exclaimed as she came awake in an instant and opened the door wider so his large frame could enter.

Clark slipped inside and immediately started taking in the rooms two very different sides. Lana’s was tidy and neat, everything in order. Lots of sheer and meshy type materials, draped over things; soft and girlie, like Lana herself. Chloe’s side was more his style; barely controlled chaos. Papers were strewn from the computer to her bed. While Lana’s was an understated sort of elegance with lots of purples and pinks, Chloe’s was all bright and cheery and spunky, like the little blonde herself.

"Clark. What are you doing here?" Lana repeated. Clark turned to her. Seeing his pained eyes, Lana crinkled her brow and reached out to him.

"Chloe’s gone," he choked out.

Lana’s eyes widened at the same time her mouth dropped open slightly. She turned, hand pointing to Chloe’s indeed empty bed. “Wha… I opened the door and it was you. I thought that meant Chloe was…there.” She pointed to the vacant bed. “Chloe’s gone…as in…” A hand came up to lie against the slim column of Lana’s throat.

"No!" Clark exclaimed. "She’s not dead. I think she’s been kidnapped. I texted her a little after eleven and Chloe said she was taking a walk around campus. She said she was alone but fine and when she didn’t answer the last message I sent, I got worried. You know how close she keeps her phone. I called and when the phone was answered, I heard scuffles and Chloe screaming." Clark went silent, remembering her piercing cry. He worked his jaw, anger and helplessness churning within. "I should’ve gotten to her. I should’ve stopped this."

"Clark," Lana breathed as she came up and put her hands on his arm, looking up into his face. "There was no way you could have gotten to her. You can’t blame yourself for this. The main thing now is to focus on finding her. Wait," Lana stopped suddenly. Glancing at the clock she looked back at Clark. He recognized the same old suspicious expression crossing her face, wondering… "It’s only eleven forty-five. How did you get here so fast?"

"Pete and I were camping on his Uncle’s property just outside of the city. I headed right here after I got the call."

"Then where is Pete? Last I knew Chloe and Pete were still close. I find it hard to believe he wouldn’t be up here with you." Lana argued, folding her arms.

"He dropped me off and went to go drive around the campus, looking for clues." Clark was amazed at the lies spilling out of him. Usually he needed to rehearse in advance but fear really cleared up his mind. "Now that I’ve told you, I better go flag him down so we can go to the police." Clark turned to go but Lana grabbed a hold of his jacket.

"I’m going with you two."

"No," he replied quickly.

"Oh, yes I am, Clark," Lana countered adamantly. "Chloe’s my best friend, too. I’m not going to let you cut me out of this."

"Lana, I don’t try to cut you out! I wouldn’t ever try to do that," Clark responded heatedly as he blocked the way to the door with his body.

"Yes, you do, Clark. How about the time with Byron? You refused to let me help." Lana was pulling on clothes from the pile on the floor over her pajamas. Her head emerged from a dark blue sweater to glare at him.

"That was for you own protection," Clark reminded her with annoyance. “I seem to remember him throwing you against a tombstone. Didn’t you later admit you should have listened to me?" Clark folded his arms across his massive chest and waited for Lana to think up another example.

"This is ridiculous!" Lana sputtered, throwing her hands up in the air. "Our best friend has been kidnapped and we’re standing here fighting! Just like last time when she was possessed. There’s another example and because you wouldn’t listen to others, she was put in even more danger! Now, move it, Clark!" Lana tried to sidestep him, but Clark caught her by the shoulders.

"You’re not going, Lana. What if Chloe calls-"

"Then I’ll be at the police station," Lana stated stubbornly, shaking his hands off.

"Or shows back up? Please, Lana. Just stay here and let me handle this. I’m not cutting you out. Plus, someone needs to sort through all this mess Chloe left, see if anything helps us out." Clark gestured to the sea of paper scattered around one half of the room.

Clark saw he’d found Lana’s weak spot as she followed his eyes. Lana didn’t want to be cut out of the search for her best friend but she also didn’t want to sit helplessly by; going through Chloe’s things provided something to do. Lana wasn’t being idle; she was a part of the solution. She would also be distracted enough for Clark to do some things he needed to do.

"All right," Lana conceded, shoulders slumping in submission. "But you find anything, you call me. I want Chloe back just as much as you do," she finished, jabbing her index finger at him.

"I promise I will call the moment anything happens." Clark put his hands on her shoulders again and pulled her to him. After a moment, Lana snuggled closer and allowed him to hold her as the news of Chloe washed over her and really sank in. Tears pricked her eyes.

"Find her, Clark. You have to find her," Lana whispered fervently.

"I will." Kissing the top of her head, Clark turned and ran out the door without looking back.


	3. Hostage

Chloe came awake slowly. Lying on a cold stone floor in pitch black, Chloe wiggled a little to find her wrists and ankles were lashed together with itchy rope. Essentially, she’d been hog-tied. Chloe began to contort her body, trying to get her hands close to her mouth. Rolling her head down, the blackness lightened and then returned to its original form. It was then Chloe realized she’d been blind-folded. Suddenly, a wave of nausea crashed inside her stomach and Chloe almost threw up in her mouth. She’d been bound and blinded before. And then she’d been buried alive.

Tears gathered in her eyes as she flashed back to the warehouse and the sound of dirt hitting the coffin. Panic crouched in the corner of her mind and Chloe knew she needed to calm down or it would pounce. Taking herself mentally in hand, Chloe slowed her breathing and concentrated on making a plan.

She had no idea what time it was, but soon Lana would wake up and read Chloe’s note. When Chloe didn’t return or answer her cell, Lana would send out the alarm. Clark would be involved somehow, if not already because of her frantic phone call, and he would see what no one else could. He would follow the paper trail and rescue her, Chloe mantra’d in her mind. Until then, Chloe would do what she could to help him or get herself free on her own. With renewed effort, she started yanking her hands up to her mouth once more.

"Don’t move," a low voice came out of the darkness. Chloe froze. "Don’t move a muscle or you’ll be dead."

"Newsflash, you’ve got me tied down in such a fashion the only way I could reach my hands is if I was a circus contortionist." Chloe shook as she spat out her fake bravado. Lure him into a false sense of security and maybe he’ll make a mistake, she coached herself.

"I knew you had spunk. That’s why when I found out you were so interested in my little narcotic, I had to have you. You’re planning a news article, aren’t you? Wouldn’t you love an in-depth exclusive from its creator? Maybe even take a ride? Just to get a full appreciation for what we’re doing here." His voice rolled and flowed like that of a dynamic speaker. It slithered down Chloe’s spine, sending goose bumps along her flesh.

"Oh, good. You’re seriously unhinged.  I always find the rational evil masterminds harder to reason with,” Chloe responded with an acidic tone.

"Would that be a no?" He asked calmly.

"That would be a _hell_ no. It’s dangerous, what you’re doing! It’s not some fun game. You’re dealing with people’s lives!” Chloe could hear the soft squeak of his shoes as he circled her like a vulture.

"That’s where the fun is," he explained patiently. "You see, it’s like Russian Roulette without all the blood and bullets and mess."

"So I’ve heard," Chloe deadpanned.

"Each time we send someone under we don’t know if they will be able to fight their way back. Those who participate are stronger for it." He spoke with such assurance and Chloe felt her skin crawl in revulsion as he stepped closer to her.

"Not everyone shares you views," Chloe said simply, trying to keep him occupied with talking.

"Like who?" He queried with a slight laugh.

"Like the ones who die. I know, for a fact, that at least four of your junkies didn’t make it back from your little death trip." Chloe fought against the rising sickness in her throat; the cold floor and the heat of her damp clothes making her lightheaded and queasy.

_“You know nothing!”_  Chloe jumped as his voice boomed right behind her head. “I am on the verge of the greatest medical discovery on this planet! If I can take people right up to death, I may be able to find some way to stop it altogether.”

"That is not your decision to make," Chloe began calmly, not meaning to have angered him. "You are not God. _Ahhh!!!_ " Chloe screamed in pain as her captor grabbed her short blonde hair and yanked her upward, her neck at an awkward angle from her body.

"Let’s see what you say after you have a taste of my potion," he whispered seductively in her ear. "I promise you will like it."

Chloe forewent all her supposed courage and started to squirm and thrash blindly. The maniac laid his body over hers, pinning her down with his lower half. Chloe could feel his groin against her hip, a hardness stirring, making her mind spin crazily with fear. Striking out, she scratched cloth. Chloe continued to fight as he continued to rip at her jeans. On her third try, Chloe connected with skin, feeling it give way to sticky, hot blood underneath. The man yelled and still she fought blindly, wrists and ankles burning from the friction against the coarse rope.

"You’re going to pay for that, bitch." Chloe heard him say a moment before he smacked her violently across the cheek. Chloe was stunned temporarily as she watched stars shoot around in front of her eyes. A moment was all he needed.

Pressing down upon Chloe more fully, he straddled her tightly between his legs. Quickly snagging her jeans and pulling them down enough to expose her hip, he stabbed the needle through her skin. Chloe shrieked as she felt scalding, boiling heat run through her veins into her extremities, hitting every nerve. She felt as if she was literally burning from the inside out. Seconds later chills began and then Chloe blessedly lost consciousness for the second time.

The man retracted the needle only after he was sure Chloe’s body was limp. He rose from the floor and looked down at his victim now lying peacefully at his feet. With a sick and twisted smile he bent down to untie her and slip off the blindfold. Gently gathering Chloe in his arms, he carried her down the hall to one of the fully equipped observation rooms.

Inside, he laid her on the bed and proceeded to strip her of her clothing. He didn’t linger, though he wanted to. There will be time for that, he thought with a shiver. He dressed her in a pale yellow nightgown after he threw her clothes in the trash. Then, lovingly, he tucked Chloe beneath the covers.

At the door, he flicked the light off, the room lit by the ghostly glow of the moon high in the corner of the only window.

"Sweet dreams, Ms. Sullivan."


	4. Reinforcements

Clark dug around in his pocket until he realized he threw his cell phone through a barn wall, shattering it into a million pieces. He needed to find a phone and quick. Going back up to Lana’s was out of the question as it would lead to many other unanswerable things. It was times like these he knew his relationship with Lana was a sham. Clark couldn’t tell her the truth and Lana would accept nothing less. He owed Lana his best and until he could tell her the truth, Clark couldn’t give her that. It wasn’t fair to her and it wasn’t fair to him. Lana deserved better, even it meant he wasn’t in the better category.

Clark shook his head. All these questions could be answered later. Ah, a pay phone. Just inside the building’s lobby. Reaching into a pocket of his jacket, he came up with sixty-three cents. He fed two quarters into the slot and dialed a number. The phone rang and rang and just when Clark thought voice-mail would pick up, a male voice answered, heavy with sleep.

"What is it, Kent?

"Pete!" Clark exclaimed. "How did you know it was me?"

"Because there are only two people who call me this late and they are Chloe and you. Since I already talked to Chloe I went with the next obvious choice." Pete replied, snapping on a light in efforts to wake up.

"You spoke to Chloe? When? What time?" Clark asked.

"I don’t know. Maybe around two or three?" Pete sat up, alert now upon picking up the urgency in Clark’s voice as he asked about Chloe. "Why, Clark?"

"Chloe was abducted around eleven, tonight." Clark waited for Pete to speak, but heard only silence. "Pete?"

"I’m still here Clark. What happened? Have you found her yet?"

"It’s not that simple, Pete. I got here too late. Can you meet me at the Metropolis Police Station or do I need to come get you?"

"Dude, I can be there in ten minutes. I’m at my Uncle and Aunts’ for the Radical Ross Family Reunion this weekend. Have you told Lana yet?" Pete’s voice was muffled as he pulled on a shirt.

"Yeah and that why I need you. I’ll explain the police station."

"All right. See ya, man."

"Hey, Pete? Thanks," Clark said quietly.

"No sweat, Clark. You’re my boy and Chloe’s my girl. What else am I supposed to do?"

Smiling, Clark replaced the receiver in the cradle and raced off to the police station. He waited outside of the station for five minutes before Pete Ross pulled up in another one of his famous old souped up cars, this one a midnight black Corvette. Pete stumbled out of the car after parking it slightly crooked and despite the situation, Clark laughed. Dressed in a long sleeve long john shirt with a puffed vest slung over it and a pair of checkered pajama pants tucked into his hiking boots, Pete looked exactly like a teenage hooligan. Except for the car.

"Anything yet?" Pete asked as Clark stood from the stoop out front to meet him.

"No. After we hung up I came straight here. Been waiting only five minutes. You’re almost as fast as me," Clark quipped with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. I’ve been practicing. Take ya on anytime, Kent." Pete returned the smile as he punched Clark in the stomach. Clark playfully doubled over.

"I’m glad you came, Pete. With you here it doesn’t seem so serious, although I know it is," Clark said.

"So, uh, fill me in, dude. What’s with the reinforcement call?" Pete asked.

"This is what I told Lana…" Clark quickly brought Pete up to speed on what had transpired.

"So I’m your alibi with Lana. Anything else new?" Pete joked.

"Yeah, I know," Clark replied sheepishly. "But you and Chloe are friends, too. You needed to know."

"Yeah, no problem. I’ll do whatever it takes to get Chloe back in one piece. You think you’ll be able to find her?"

"I have nothing to go on." Clark shrugged his shoulders, hating this odd helplessness he wasn’t used to feeling. "Lana is back at the dorm going through Chloe’s things, maybe getting an idea of what Chloe was doing. You know Chloe-"

"Always into something," Pete finished with a shake of his head. "Well, let’s do this." And Pete followed Clark into the police station.


	5. Wake

The hallway was silent and endless. Chloe walked down a tiled floor, looking around for any sign of life. She didn’t remember escaping the clutches of the madman with the needle. If she had, why wasn’t she running? Moving so quickly as if the devil himself were on her heels? Something wasn’t right. Where was she? Chloe thought back to the last time she felt like this. She’d been transfigured into a wax statuette and transported to an empty warehouse along with some other select Smallville High students to re-live their senior year over and over. The plan was concocted by a somewhat mentally unstable boy would had serious issues with change. Unlike this, every door was locked and there were cameras everywhere. Actually, that time there had been doors. This was just an unending hallway, colorless concrete walls on both sides.

      Again, she wondered where she was. Up ahead, a door mysteriously appeared. Jogging the last few feet, Chloe twisted the door knob and swung the door open.

      The room was dark and empty inside. Chloe stood cautiously in the threshold. Wanting to go forward but not knowing what awaited her, Chloe groped both sides of the door frame for a light switch. When she didn’t find one, Chloe took a deep breath and straightened her spine. She took a small step into the room. Nothing came screaming out at her and no one reached out and grabbed her. She took another small step and another. Looking for another door or a way out of this freaky place, Chloe noticed the room was beginning to fill with pale sunlight from windows squeezing their way out from the walls around her. The room was draped in dark colors and the sunlight felt cold against her exposed skin. People were beginning to materialize out of the mist, clumped together in small groups of three or four.

      Chloe saw her father standing with her mother. She headed toward them. The two stood alone, arms wrapped around each other, staring out one of the windows into nothingness.

      "Mama?" Chloe whispered. "Daddy?" Both parents continued to stare. Chloe longed to stay with them, but she felt something compelling her to move forward, so she did. Chloe spied Lois, Lana, Pete and Mrs. Kent in one corner; in the adjacent corner stood Mr. Kent and Whitney Fordman. Others milled around, some talking, some crying. All people she’d known or seen at one point in her life filled the room. Chloe had an awful feeling she was crashing her own funeral party.

      No one took any notice of Chloe as she mingled amongst them. Every group was listening to memories about her. Lois was telling everyone how the two of them busted a Russian Girl Trading scheme. Lana recounted the tale of how she was hard-wired to kill Chloe; instead Chloe ended up kicking her own ass. Mrs. Kent wiped a tear away as she said how much she would miss Chloe’s smiling face.

      Pete wandered over to Mr. Kent and Whitney, the three discussing how much they would miss Chloe and how Clark would be able to go on without her.

      "Pete! I’m right here! I’m not dead!" Chloe exclaimed. No one heard her. Chloe returned to her parents, standing as close to her mother as possible when a sudden hush fell over the room and its occupants. Chloe craned her neck to see what everyone else was seeing and her breath hitched in a very familiar way.

      Clark. Dressed in a fine black suit, he walked into the room with a long and purposeful stride. Standing heads and shoulders above the sea of mourners, his eyes swept the room, finally settling on her. Clark’s famous smile lit up his handsome face and even as a ghost, Chloe’s knees shook. The crowd parted like the red sea, making a path for his feet leading straight to her. After an eternity, Clark arrived to stand before her. Gasps were heard all around them and Chloe knew they could see her now, but she only had eyes for Clark. He looked down at her from his great height, a dark strand of hair falling over his forehead. Clark brought up a hand, caressing her face before cupping her cheek. At his touch, the coldness of her body dissipated, being replaced with a warm feeling of peace.

      "What are you doing here?" Clark asked softly, his voice sounding far away. His other hand reached out for hers, entwining their fingers together.

      "I was sent here," Chloe answered. She didn’t feel almost dead; not with her hand gripped so strongly in Clark’s or his thumb swiping back and forth across her cheekbone. Chloe felt more alive than she had in years.

      "No. You’re not supposed be here yet. You need to go back." Clark withdrew from her, leaving Chloe very bereft and chilled.

      "Clark, why-"

      "Chloe, go. You’re not supposed to be here!" Clark whined urgently, pulling her roughly by the upper arm toward the door.

      "Clark-" she began again.

      “ _Now!!  Go!!  Run, Chloe, run!!_ " Clark yelled, his eyes blazing as he bore down upon her. The peace Chloe felt earlier permeate her body when Clark entered the room fled, leaving her alone and shaking. Clark released her arm, causing Chloe to stumble through the door. The door slammed shut in her face with an earth shattering crack, causing ceiling tiles to fall to the ground and the floor to shudder underneath her.

      Chloe began to run, Clark’s yells ringing in her ears. Feeling as if the building and the world was crashing down around her, she ran heedlessly on until her heart beat in her throat and her legs threatened to collapse from under her. As before, a door appeared. Chloe ran into the door, hitting it hard with the heels of her hands, pushing and kicking with all her might.

      “ _Fight.  Fight, Chloe!!  Fight for me!!_ " Clark’s voice hammered the inside of her head. Chloe let out a frantic scream as she banged on the door, feeling it splinter under her weight. Chloe fell through and began falling down a black tunnel. She fell faster and faster until upon the point impact, she crashed and her body smashed into oblivion.

      Chloe continued to scream as she bolted up right from the hospital bed. Clamping her mouth shut, Chloe bit her lip, tasting blood. She stayed like that until the urge to scream was long past. She huddled on the bed, shaking and gasping for air. Chloe was awake now, no longer in her dream world. Her knees cuddled to her chest, Chloe glanced warily around the room. It was still dark, lit only by the moonlight from the bare window. The walls were devoid of any color or decoration as well. An aluminum cabinet stood in one corner, a door slightly ajar. Chloe saw she rested in a normal hospital bed, complete with steel bed rails and an elevated back rest. Along the side of the bed stood a surgical tray with a bunch of needles that made Chloe all kinds of nervous. With a small whimper, Chloe scooted as far away as possible.

      She was still held hostage; she hadn’t escaped at all! She just tasted New Death for the first time and didn’t like it one bit.

      The image of Clark’s face swam up from Chloe’s nightmare. When he smiled and touched her, Chloe wanted to stay there forever. But it had been a cruel joke, none of it real. Chloe heard a rustling outside the door, no doubt Mr. Mad Scientist coming to check on her. Chloe laid back down and pretended to still be knocked out. The door opened slowly. Someone came to her bedside.

      "Still fighting our way back," he whispered. "I was hoping you could be the one to solve the final mystery." The man outlined her face with a finger and feathered his touch down her jaw and to her neck. Chloe fought hard not to flinch as he moved lower down her arm and back up again. Chloe admitted defeat. This was one sticky situation she could not get herself out of.

      Over and over, one recurrent thought played itself across her mind. Clark…


	6. Search

After an hour in the police station, the two boys walked out. Both gave statements and heard the usual spiel of ‘the person must be gone 48 hours before we can treat this as a missing person’; although Detective Johnson assured them that with the possible struggle Clark overheard could be reason enough to move it up the line a little. Clark and Pete were then told to go home and wait and someone would be in touch soon.

 

"This is Metropolis! You’d think they’d bump that time limit a bit," Pete said incredulously as he and Clark drove back to the dorm, their hearts heavy at the thought of losing 48 precious hours in which to find Chloe.

 

Another hour later, Clark sat in front of Chloe’s computer, trying to get a sense of what she’d been doing when she went for a walk. Chloe was kidnapped once before when she was fifteen. It tore him apart back then as well. At least Lana was having visions of what the kidnapper was doing at the time, in the end, leading Clark to Chandler’s Field where Chloe’s coffin was buried beneath the windmill. Now, all she was doing was sitting on Chloe’s bed, pouring over all of Chloe’s school notes as both her and Pete tried to find something meaningful.

 

"I don’t see anything suspicious. Who do you think could have done this?" Lana asked as she put one notebook aside and picked up another.

 

"Knowing Chloe, she was probably on the trail of some underground story and got too close to home for somebody," Pete stated astutely as he, too, picked up a textbook for a second look. "How are you coming on the computer?"

 

"Not so good, Pete," Clark answered, swiveling in the chair to face them. "I have no idea what she was working on. She keeps all her stuff on her desktop and I can’t figure out which is past or present. Lana, did she ever mention anything to you?" Lana shook her absently.  She was absorbed in combing through a beat up looking bag Chloe kept on the floor between her night table and bed. Clark did another file search and came up empty handed. He shoved back from the desk with a sigh of defeat.

 

"I think I found something," Lana spoke urgently. She scooted over as Clark and Pete rose from their spots and joined her on the bed, both boys looking over her shoulder. In her hand she held a worn piece of paper which looked like it had been folded repeatedly. A single line was in the middle of the page, a web address.

 

"TheNewDeath.com. Doesn’t look like something Chloe would look up on a whim. Let’s check it out." Clark resumed his place at the computer, Lana and Pete standing behind him. He quickly brought up the browser and typed in the web site.

 

"Whoa…" Pete remarked as the web site loaded onto the screen. "Looks like Chloe got in way over her head this time."

 

The web site was a green on black design and looked as if it were an advertisement for a bad horror movie. But beneath its campy disguise, lurked something very advanced and very dangerous. Clark scrolled down, reading testimonials and procedures, wondering what exactly he was looking at. He had gone two-thirds of the way down when Lana stopped him.

 

"Hey, go back up." Lana leaned over Clark’s shoulder, getting close to the screen. "Stop. Right there. I know him." She pointed to the right of the screen. It was a picture, a candid shot, showing a couple of students gathered around a table. The guy in the picture looked at the camera in surprise, not expecting to find someone snapping a photo. He looked to be around their age and clean cut; someone they would have been friends with.

 

"I do, too," Clark said after closer inspection. "We were in Algebra for about a week until he dropped the class. I thought he was pretty nice-"

 

"But if he had anything to do with Chloe’s disappearance…" Pete’s voice trailed off as he smacked one fist into his other palm. Clark empathized completely.

 

"Do you know his name, Lana?" Clark asked eagerly, feeling as if they were headed in a good direction.

 

"I think its Carter Hogan. He sits next to me in Astronomy. He’s Pre-Med or something."

 

"Carter Hogan," Clark parroted. Clark began shuffling through the mess of papers in his lap. This time, the name jumped out at from the page. A transcript. "I’ve got it! This is it guys! Chloe’s research." Clark waved it around excitedly while Lana and Pete watched him with relief and a little wariness.

 

"Here," Clark separated the stack into two sections and shoved them into his friends’ hands. "Start going through all this and see what you come up with." Pete and Lana immediately sank to the floor while Clark concentrated back on the computer, knowing what to look for this time.

 

Spotting a file at the bottom right hand corner labeled ‘New Death’, he clicked it, windows opening for him. Clark earlier dismissed it as being a new band or whatever. He never knew with Chloe, he really didn’t. Half an hour later, the three amateur detectives had their story as if Chloe really did the expose.

 

"It seems Carter Hogan and some gal pal are at the head of this ring. His name is plastered all over her notes," Lana told them, making a pile of all the sheets of paper on which Carter’s name was mentioned.

 

"You think he found out Chloe was on to him and he decided to shut her up?" Pete asked as he looked from Clark to Lana and back again.

 

Clark looked at his father’s watch, the beat up hands reading just past two-thirty. He needed to talk to this Carter Hogan; if he was as entrenched as much as they all believed him to be, there was an excellent chance he knew where Chloe was. Clark slid his eyes over to Pete who read his mind and nodded. No time could be wasted.

 

"I’m going to talk to him," Clark announced, standing to his feet.

 

"Clark, we need to call that detective you talked to. The police can question Carter. You don’t need to play the hero," Lana responded from her perch on the floor.

 

"The police will just put it in the report. They’re not going to start investigating until the 48 hour mark, Lana," Clark argued. "Chloe’s my best friend-"

 

"She’s mine and Pete’s best friend, too," Lana said angrily as she rose to feet clenching her fists at her sides. "But the police are trained in this type of thing."

 

"I’ve got to do what I can to find her. I can’t just sit idly by and wait," Clark said forcefully.

 

"Why? Why do always feel it’s your responsibility to save the world?" Lana asked furiously.

 

Pete cleared his throat, reminding the fighting couple of his presence. When Lana looked at him like an intruder, Pete took the hint. “I’m just going to step outside and…Tie my shoes.” He opened the door and slipped out quietly. Clark looked back at Lana, still waiting for his answer.

 

"I don’t feel like it’s my responsibility to save the world," Clark lied.

 

"Fine, not the world," Lana conceded. "Just the greater Metropolis area and all of Smallville."

 

"It’s Chloe!" Clark exclaimed in frustration. "Why are you questioning this?"

 

"Is it just Chloe or is it something more?" Lana asked as she crossed her arms looking at Clark defiantly.

 

"I don’t have time for this," Clark replied through clenched teeth, fighting to keep his voice down.

 

Clark was almost at the door when Lana’s soft question stopped him. “Do you have feelings for Chloe?” Clark stiffened. Did he?

 

"Chloe is missing and I will do anything and everything in my power to find her," Clark said before he turned, looking Lana in the eye. "Just like I would for you."

 

Lana could see they were dangerously close to a no-holds-barred fight. Ignoring the fact Clark hadn’t answered her question Lana crossed to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

 

"I’m sorry," she said half-heartily, noticing Clark’s hesitant reciprocation of her embrace. "Sometimes I feel like I take a back seat to her; her and your Hardy Boy/Nancy Drew adventures."

 

"Lana," Clark began, taking her shoulders and putting her away from him. "You are the most important person in my life." Clark tried to muster his usual sincerity into his voice, but in the time since he heard Chloe scream he’d felt hollow inside.  Cold even. And he never felt cold. “But what if 48 hours is too late? If there is any way to find Chloe sooner, I’ve got to do it.”

 

"What if you get hurt in the process?" Lana asked, tears forming in her brown eyes.

 

"That is just the risk I run," Clark replied.

 

"I forgot. The Kents’ and their magical luck," Lana muttered sarcastically.


	7. Assurance

"Ms. Sullivan? Ms. Sullivan? Will wake up for us, please?"

 

A suave voice floated into her ear as someone shook her shoulder. How embarrassing! She’d fallen asleep during class! And what a dream, Chloe thought. Opening her eyes, she stared into icy blue pools and Chloe knew it hadn’t been a dream. She was still strapped inside the hospital prison. Chloe guessed the man leering down at her must be her warden. He was young, much younger than she initially guessed. Long blonde hair was pulled back from a startling handsome face in a loose pony tail. His mouth curled into a sinister smile, banishing whatever good looks he possessed, making Chloe’s blood run cold.

 

"Ah, there we are. I had a suspicion you were awake and playing, what do they call it? Possum?" He giggled. "Now, since you seem to be alert would you like to share your experience? Did I make a believer of you?"

 

Chloe could tell he really thought he was making a difference in peoples’ lives; a difference in the medical world. If only his drug didn’t come with fatal consequences or dealt with death. Okay, Chloe thought, so there’s no way to spin this drug as a positive. She took a deep breath.

 

"Listen, I know you mean well, but this is not something I’d want to go through on a weekly basis. I don’t think you’re helping anybody. And there are no upsides to using this drug long term." Chloe watched his face harden with every word.

 

"You still don’t understand," he said quietly.

 

"You’re right. I don’t understand and probably never will. But neither do you. With every shot, you’re killing someone. The last time I checked, that wasn’t what medicine was about," Chloe countered gently.

 

"What do you know? You’re just a journalism student. What do you know about life and death and the possibilities each hold?" He asked as he reached behind him and lifted a syringe from the surgical tray. Chloe began to struggle again but couldn’t move away. She looked down at her wrists and ankles encased in leather restraints that weren’t there when she woke up the first time. A tear coursed down her cheek as she laid her head back down on the pillow, staring at the ceiling above her. "It’s also about testing the limits of the human body," he finished as he waved his green cocktail at her.

 

"Why are you doing this?" Chloe asked, her voice quivering around a sob.

 

"I have to make you understand," he repeated doggedly, pulling up the hem of her hospital gown.

 

Chloe flinched as the needle sank into her thigh, biting back her scream as the burning ensued followed by racking chills…

 

_Chloe woke in dirt. Sitting up, she was in some kind of field with tall golden grass rippled by the wind. Chloe got to her feet, dusted herself off and gazed around. Off in the distance stood a butter yellow house and closer to her, Jonathon Kent rode his tractor. How did she end up here?_

 

_"My son is coming, Chloe! He’s coming soon!" Jonathon yelled over the hum of his tractor._

_"I know!" Chloe yelled back. She wandered around for a little while, hoping to glimpse Clark doing his chores. As she rounded the corner of the barn, she collided with Mr. Kent._

_"Chloe!" His smile, so welcoming and familiar, made Chloe’s eyes water. She reached out and touched him, his chest warm and solid as it had been in life. Taking her hand in his own, Jonathon led Chloe around the farm. "You look wonderful. I want you to know I appreciate all you’ve done for Clark. He needs friends like you and Pete. He needs you, Chloe. No matter how far he runs or how hard he denies it, he knows he needs you. You take care of him."_

_"Thank you, Mr. Kent. It means so much you feel that way," Chloe responded._

_"What are you doing here, Chloe?" Jonathon asked, pulling her to a stop beside him._

_The sun was beginning to set over the fields and Chloe could think of no other place she’d rather be than here on the Kent Family Farm. “I don’t know. I can’t remember.”_

_"You need to go back. Clark’s trying to find you and he won’t find you here," Jonathon pointed out._

_"But I don’t want to leave," Chloe said wistfully, looking around at the far reaching Kansas prairie. "It’s too beautiful here. Mr. Kent, why is Clark trying to find me?"_

_Jonathon Kent smiled as he answered, “Isn’t Clark always trying to find you?” Chloe watched as the wind blew up around them, dissolving him like sugar in iced tea._

_"Chloe!"_

_Chloe turned her head and wasn’t surprised to see Clark bounding across the tall grass of the open field toward her. Like a drowning man, Clark reached out and pulled Chloe roughly to him, wrapping her tight within his arms as if she were a life preserver._

_"I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been?" Clark whispered lovingly into her hair._

_"I’ve always been here," Chloe answered, squeezing him back._

_"Then why am I still looking for you?" Clark questioned with confusion._

_"You’ll find me. I know you will," She assured him gently, stepping out of his grasp. Chloe walked a few paces ahead and turned to face him. Clark still stood where she left him, a look of alarm on his face._

_"You always find me, Clark," and with that, Chloe fell backwards into an abyss before Clark could catch her._

As before, she fell faster and faster only it was so easy to step out this time. Instead of breaking she landed softly on her bed with a soft gasp. But it wasn’t soft enough.

"Did you enjoy your ride this time, little one?" The deranged man asked from her beside, seated in a plastic chair. He reached out and wiped a tear away almost sweetly.

"Please…" Chloe begged quietly. "Please leave me alone."

"You seem tired." The man stood, towering above her once more. "Sleep. I assure you, I won’t do anything while you rest." He leaned over and pressed a kiss against Chloe’s sweat drenched forehead, causing Chloe to sob deep in her throat.

"I’ll be back shortly," he told her as he left the room.

Slowly Chloe closed her eyes and fought the sobs tearing at her throat for release. She prayed she wouldn’t actually fall asleep. Who knew what dreams awaited her in the darkness of slumber?


	8. Interrogation

Waiting outside the door in the hall, true to his word, was Pete bending over his boots.

 

"Hey man," he greeted cautiously. "You smooth things over?"

 

"Not really, " Clark answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

 

Pete nodded. “You gonna track down this Carter Hogan?”

 

“ _We_ are gonna track down Carter Hogan. Come on.” Clark and Pete walked down the hallway. Back outside in the cold air the two headed off in the direction of the Student Embassy where Clark planned to do some more snooping.

 

"I really think Lana believes there is more behind this than you wanting to find Chloe," Pete said after a few moments of silence.

 

"You develop super-hearing lately, Pete?" Clark said grimly.

 

"Didn’t need super-hearing to see what was coming. You gotta admit though, Clark, you and Chloe have always been in a gray area," Pete told him.

 

"I don’t understand it," Clark shook his head, trying to get thoughts sorted. "Lana tells me I need to be more considerate of Chloe until I feel I am walking on eggshells around her. When Chloe realizes I’m treating her different, she bites my head off. Now, with Chloe missing and in danger, Lana accuses me of having feelings for Chloe and putting Chloe before her. I’m about ready to wash my hands of both of them, Pete."

 

"You don’t mean that," Pete responded with a laugh at Clark’s emotional rant. Pete rarely got to see this confused side of Clark.

 

"I know I don’t," Clark replied with a smile before continuing on seriously. "But it’s gotten way too complicated for me. I want to tell Lana the truth, but she won’t be safe from anyone if I do. She won’t accept anything less than the truth from me either. Since my father…" Clark’s voice trailed off and for a while Pete waited in silence.  "We’ve become distant. I think it is the beginning of the end and I can’t tell if I’m relieved or not. There it is," Clark pointed to the Student Embassy, a large building with many iron benches out front under trees lining the border.

 

As they walked the final steps to the building, Pete slung a friendly arm across Clark’s shoulders.

 

"Clark, right now we gotta focus on this, but I will say this much. After we find Chloe, you’re gonna have a choice to make. A choice between your old life and your new one; the one with Lana or the one without. I like Lana, I do, but I think if you examine your life without her in it, you’ll find what you’re looking for."

 

"You’re talking about Chloe, aren’t you?" Clark raised an eyebrow.

 

"Maybe. Maybe not. Let’s go see if we can dig up anything on Carter Hogan." Pete punched Clark in the arm and jogged to the entrance. Clark followed, knowing exactly what Pete had meant.

 

Once inside, Pete kept watch while Clark broke into a guidance counselor’s office. Seeing filing cabinets along the wall, Clark rifled through them. He found Hogan’s file in a blink, thankful that not everything was put on computer. He needed all the time he could get and even a super-speed he was nowhere near the computer whiz Chloe was. He left the room just as he found it with exception of a big gaping hole where the doorknob once was. He and Pete hightailed it across the lawn to a group of picnic tables. Sitting down at one, Pete pulled out a pocket sized flashlight and flicked it on.

 

"I knew there was a reason I carried this thing," Pete quipped as he and Clark perused the file by the single beam of light.

 

"Looks like Carter Hogan is part of one of the most brilliant Pre-Med classes Met U has ever seen," Clark read aloud. "He lives on campus, not far from Lana and Chloe."

 

"Let’s go check it out," Pete suggested as he slipped the flashlight back in his pocket.

 

"Definitely," Clark agreed.

 

The boys stood, leaving the file where it lay on the table and retraced their steps back toward the dorm buildings. Halfway there, Clark caught a glimpse of something gleaming on the grass. It was a phone; Chloe’s phone. Jogging over, Clark snatched it up.

 

"What’d ya find?" Pete called.

 

"Chloe’s phone," Clark told him as he walked back. "This must be where she was taken. But why would they leave the phone?"

 

"Maybe they thought it wasn’t important," Pete offered.

 

"And if they don’t think anyone finding Chloe’s phone important-“

 

"They don’t think anyone is gonna be able to find _her_ ,” Pete finished their combined thought. “Clark, you don’t think they’re going to-“

 

"I don’t know, Pete, I don’t know." With one last look at the phone, Clark shoved it into his own jacket pocket. "Let’s go find him." Clark reached and grabbed Pete by his collar.

 

"Whoa…" Pete remarked a second later when Clark deposited him inside the lobby of the dorm building Carter Hogan supposedly lived in.

 

"Sorry," Clark apologized as he bounded up the stairs the third floor.

 

"That was totally cool! I’ve never been conscious when you jumped into hyper-speed," Pete whispered from behind Clark as he followed him up the stairs. "This is 3A. His room should be mid-way down."

 

Clark and Pete walked quietly down the hall until they stood in front of 3G. Bass thumped heavily from inside and underneath it, Clark heard a voice.

 

_"She hasn’t come around yet? So soon?"_ Clark pressed his ear against the door. Pete followed suit, though he couldn’t hear anything.

_"No, no. I’ll find another one. Yes, yes! I understand. No, there will be no questions. I’ll make sure that all the blanks about the Sullivan girl are filled in."_

"He’s talking about Chloe," Clark told Pete whose face quickly filled with fury. "Wait, he’s talking again." Clark pressed his ear to the door again.

_"… can you? Tomorrow morning, I’ll come and pick up her body then. Yeah, sure thing."_ A beep sounded, telling Clark the guy disconnected the call.

Clark stood back from the door, motioning Pete to fall behind. Once Pete moved, with a cry of rage Clark kicked the door open, watching it bust in on itself in many pieces.

A boy, Clark quickly noted looking nothing like Carter Hogan, scurried under a desk in fright.

_"Who are you?"_ He screamed at a high pitch.

Clark took three long strides into the room. Reaching under the desk Clark grasped the guy’s shirt and yanked him up like a rag-doll, holding him up nose to nose, legs dangling.

"Where’s Cater? Where did he take Chloe?" Clark demanded.

"I-I h-have no i-idea," he stuttered.

"Carter your roommate?" The guy nodded with a pathetic whimper.

"I’ll give you another chance. I know about your new death experiments. So if you don’t want to experience old death you better get an idea fast about where Carter took Chloe Sullivan!" Clark tightened his grip with every word he spoke, slowly choking the guy.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," the guy tried.

_"Don’t lie to me!"_ Clark yelled, fighting a smile as the guy flinched.

"OK, OK," the guy said, hoping to placate the big man ready to murder him. "The leader of New Death took her to the secret lab. I don’t know where that is." All the madness that left Clark at the prospect of answers spilled back into him. He shook the guy until his teeth rattled.

"I heard you talking about a body! _Where is she?”_ Clark trembled with the urge to slam him repeatedly against the wall.

"It’s an abandoned warehouse we own! That’s where Carter took her!" The guy screamed in panic as tears leaked out over his cheeks. "Over on the west side on Industrial Park! Red brick with busted out windows! Please don’t kill me! Please!"

Clark threw him to the floor with barely leashed control. He turned to Pete standing like a bouncer against the closed door.

"Make sure he goes nowhere. Don’t want him warning anyone either," Clark ordered.

"Go man, I got this," Pete replied with a deadly gleam to his eye as he took his place in front of the sniveling boy on the floor. With one look back, Clark was gone in a heartbeat.


	9. Escape

After sitting next to her for some time, Carter Hogan left again. Chloe didn’t know how long he sat there. She had no knowledge of the passing time; although it seemed hour upon hour on end. Chloe opened her eyes tentatively, praying she’d find an empty room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she began to study her ankles. They were the same type of restraints used in Belle Reeve but a little worse for wear. Little by little, Chloe began pushing and pulling to see how much they would give. Every several moments, a shadow would pass in front of the door. Chloe froze all movements, straining to hear any signs of him returning to administer another death shot.

 

      Focusing once more on the restraint she’d had the most luck with, Chloe contorted and stretched her hand, pulling and pulling until the hand slid free.

 

      "Ahhh…" Chloe gasped as she held the hand up in front of her face to examine it. It was raw with abrasions and nasty welts from the rope burns which circled her wrists. She hissed as she shook it, the feeling flowing back into it with prickling pain. After flexing it a couple of times she quickly set to the task of undoing her other wrist. Freeing that one, Chloe sat up and worked the ones on her ankles. Soon she was free and slithered from the bed.

 

      Chloe crouched in a corner as she listened for footsteps. Adrenaline coursed through her system, readying her body for action. Remembering the needles, Chloe crawled under the bed and stood. Choosing the most dangerous looking needle, Chloe tip toed her way across to the door.

 

      As if on cue, the doorknob turned and the door swished open. Chloe pressed her back against the wall behind the door, holding the needle next to her chest like a dagger and waited.

 

      "No…" A rough voice moaned as Hogan stepped into the room. Chloe waited with bated breath as he came fully into her cell. And when he did, Chloe launched herself at him with a cry of rage, stabbing the middle of his back, pushing the make-shift dagger in to its hilt. With a roar of pain, Hogan fell to the floor, Chloe falling on top of him, the needle pressing in further.

 

      Chloe rolled off of him and jumped up, making for the door only to come crashing back down. Glancing behind her, she saw her blonde captor holding one of her ankles, baring his teeth at her in a snarl.

 

      _"Get off me!"_ Chloe kicked out with all her might, using a move Lois taught her; successfully breaking his nose and knocking some teeth down his throat. Carter instinctively raised his hands to his nose, releasing Chloe’s foot. In seconds, she was on her bare feet and running, his yells of pain becoming fainter until she heard them no more.

 

      When Chloe couldn’t run any longer she slowed to a walk, using a concrete wall for support as she trudged on. She saw no one as she fled. She gulped for air, her heart still beating wildly. Chloe tried to formulate a plan on how to get out of here, but she didn’t know where here was. Was she still in Metropolis? Kansas? She highly doubted she’d been taken from the country but how could she know.

     Passing many rooms, Chloe began looking inside and trying doors. She finally found one that wasn’t locked and slipped inside. Opening the cabinet in a corner she gave a squeal of delight. Chloe scampered gingerly and painfully into a pair of custodian coveralls and tugged on a pair of oversized work boots, but shoes nonetheless. More needles littered the bottom of the cabinet which Chloe stuffed in her pockets like candy along with a forgotten hammer.

Feeling no less disadvantaged, but at least armed, Chloe went back out into the still deserted hallway and started her search for her escape route.


	10. Overtaken

Unfortunately, the needle Chloe used in her assault had been empty. Hogan pulled the long needle out of his back, keeping one hand cupped under his nose to catch the blood that spilled out. With a growl, Hogan hauled himself up off the floor, the glass syringe shattering as he threw it at the wall. He extracted another syringe, one full of his drug, from his coat pocket. It was time for Ms. Sullivan to experience all the drug could offer, Hogan thought. Until now, the leader of New Death had only been giving her small doses, hoping in time she would come over to his side. He had to find her. Hogan couldn’t let her jeopardize his life’s work. He still needed live specimens and if Chloe or her article were allowed to see the light of day, he could kiss all that goodbye.

The blood still poured from Hogan’s broken nose, so much he gave up trying to stem the flow. The red river ran freely down his face and dripped onto his white lab coat, painting him even more maddened than before. There was only one hall leading from the main floor of the abandoned warehouses back to where the offices were in this wing, now occupied by experimentation and observation rooms; storage and sleeping quarters. The rest was a perfect maze to others who knew not what they looked for. Gazing down the first leg of the hall before it turned, he saw nothing. He began walking cautiously, listening and looking for another surprise attack from Chloe.

 

While Hogan made his way quietly down the hall, a pair of metal doors over on the loading deck were torn from their hinges and thrown violently through the air. Clark strode onto the vacant warehouse floor the size of a football field. Kicking on his x-ray vision, Clark swore as he found the interior walls to be lined with lead, same as the exterior; perfect for the regulation of temperature but a major pain in his ass at the moment. Not knowing exactly where to look, Clark sharpened his hearing and picked up two intakes of breath. One steady and deep; the other labored and fast. Following the sounds, Clark sped across the concrete floor to a glass door and entered what was probably once a reception office.

 

Clark found three hallways intersecting right outside the lobby. Standing at the head of one of the hallways, he listened. In the quietness, he heard the turn of a knob. Clark walked along the wall toward the noise, carefully turning a sharp corner, holding himself from flying into action that might be fatal to Chloe.

 

Hogan, on the same hall, just around another corner, hurriedly ducked into one of his many torture rooms and peeked through the crack of the door. A few feet down, he watched Chloe emerge, dressed in navy coveralls. In his deranged dreams, he hoped to find something more with Chloe Sullivan than the captor/hostage roles he’d run through in his mind. When she had first started meeting him outside the college’s hospital ward, Carter had spent the hours after just picturing her face and re-playing her voice in his head. After he found out about the article she was writing for her journalism class, he wanted her to be his final experiment but things hadn’t turned out as he planned. With a wistful sigh, Carter imagined how lovely it would be to watch her take her final breaths. Silently, he left his hiding place and made his way stealthily behind Chloe.

 

A shoe squeaked and Chloe, feeling the malevolent presence behind her, tensed. She turned and the moment she did, Chloe saw the crazed form of the mad man spring into action and crash into her, knocking her to the ground.

 

Chloe let all the air out of her lungs in a blood-curdling scream, piercing Clark’s sensitive hearing and causing him to flinch. He zoomed around yet another corner and saw Chloe wrestling with a man slightly larger than her. Clark’s relief at finding Chloe alive was short-lived as he watched the man raise a murderous needle in the air, blood covering his hand. Chloe continued to fight like a wildcat, screaming and cursing as she struggled beneath him. Finally, Chloe knocked the syringe out of his hand. The man, Clark knew to be Carter Hogan, scurried off her and after it. With a sob, Chloe pushed herself up on her elbows and turned over, starting to crawl away. Chloe and Carter caught sight of Clark at the exact same time. In an instant, Carter lunged and grabbed the back of Chloe’s head as Clark moved toward them.

 

_"Clark!_ _No!  It’s Kryptonite!!!”_  Chloe shrieked out in warning but it was too late. Clark was upon them in a flash.

 

_"Hogan! Let her go!!!"_ Clark yelled, reaching out to grab Carter by his clothing and drag him away from Chloe. Just as he did, Carter directed the needle toward Clark’s exposed wrist and stabbed. The Kryptonite allowed it to penetrate his flesh and Clark cried out in agony as Carter pumped almost all of the deathly mixture into him before yanking it away. The liquid rushed through his body, causing his mighty form to fall to the floor with a heavy thud.

 

_"Clark!!!"_ Chloe’s anguished scream barely pierced Clark’s ears as he throbbed in pain.  She watched him writhe on the floor, his skin turning a ghostly white.

 

"It’s your turn, my dear," Carter’s voice whispered in her ear. Chloe lay very still, watching Clark. His eyes were open and they were clinging to hers. Chloe bit her tongue to keep from sobbing as she watched the man she loved dying just a few inches from her. Tears broke and slid down her cheeks. Slowly, Chloe moved her hand and began negotiating the hammer from the front pocket of her jumper. Carter tenderly moved her hair from her neck and ran his fingers along her skin. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut to clear them of tears then opened them as Carter leaned down and kissed the curve of her neck. Chloe’s eyes never left Clark’s as she freed her arm and swung. The hammer connected with Carter Hogan’s right temple and Chloe heard a sickening crack. Dead weight pushed Chloe to the floor as blood ran down her neck and into her clothing. The needle he’d been brandishing sank slightly forward into her back with just enough juice left.

 

"No, please…" Chloe whispered. She crawled out from under Carter and over to Clark, fighting the darkness trying to overtake her mind. Clark laid still, almost no breath escaping, his eyes closing slowly. Chloe crouched over him, brushing back the hair from his sweaty face.

 

"Clark? Clark? Tell me what to do. I don’t know what to do," Chloe sobbed brokenly. A burning was beginning low in her back. Gazing down at Clark, she saw his lips move. Chloe leaned down, the burning now racing along the inside of her limbs. No sound, just movement. Chloe laid her ear to his lips as he moved them one last time.

 

_Sunlight…_


	11. Light

Sunlight.

 

Clark needed sunlight. Chloe looked back to the room she’d taken refuge in. There was a window high on the wall and she could see dawn just breaking. Standing to her feet with difficulty, Chloe grasped Clark under his arms and pulled with all her might. He moved an inch. The drug now consuming her body, Chloe gritted her teeth and tried again. Clark started to slide heavily. Chloe pulled her best friend’s large body into the room a slow and draining process. The sun was just beginning to rise and a tiny sliver of light hung on the opposite wall from the window. The chills began as Chloe positioned Clark’s body in such a way to receive optimal sun intake if it mercifully shone on them. Clark stopped breathing completely when Chloe collapsed on his chest. Praying this would work, she gladly succumbed to the darkness swallowing her whole.

 

As the two New Death victims lay motionless, the sun began to rise slowly. Life giving rays crept into the room spreading fingers upon the inert couple. For several moments, two heartbeats hung in limbo, both beating sporadically. Then one began to beat a little stronger; one began to beat a little more regularly. With the progress of a snail, the sun restored Clark; the miraculous UV rays pushing and prodding and finally ridding his body of the poison.

 

Suddenly, Clark’s eyes flew open and he gasped for breath. He looked about, raised a sluggish hand to shield his eyes from the wonderfully bright sun. For a moment, Clark had no recollection of where he was. Then it all came crashing back, bringing with it a vicious headache. Clark lay for several minutes taking stock of his body. Only a small weight on his chest felt odd. Groaning, Clark raised his head and saw Chloe asleep, her lovely face twisted in a grimace.

 

"Chloe," Clark croaked. To his dismay, he spied the needle sticking out of her back. Carefully, he grasped it and pulled it out, dropping it to the floor. Clark tested moving reluctantly. He groaned again. He felt as if he’d been mortal again. Deciding to stay in the sun a little longer Clark, who was splayed on his back, shifted and finally sat up. Chloe’s head slid to his lap. Tenderly, he gathered her up and held her close, the sun falling directly on them. Clark cuddled her closer, Chloe’s head tucked under his chin as she whimpered.

 

"Chloe… Chloe…" Clark called gently. Over and over…

 

_Chloe was trapped somewhere in her mind; locked in the darkness where no one could reach her. She cried. She screamed. She banged her fists against the steel walls but no one heard. She called for her mother, her father, Clark…_

_No one came._

_Cold and shaking, she curled up on the hard floor and shivered. No warmth. No light. Nothing. She’d lost everything. She yearned for death now; the sweet release from the pain strangling her soul. Then… From somewhere in the dark, she heard the call._

_"Chloe… Chloe…" She heard faintly. She strained her ears and heard it again. Someone was calling her! She was not alone! Chloe felt peace flood her ravaged soul, covering her like a blessed blanket._

_"Chloe… Chloe…" She felt safe and warm. Deliciously warm. Light began to burst from her darkened cell, the prison of her mind. Chloe was being carried away, held in impossibly strong arms as a familiar and dearly loved voice whispered in her ear._

"Chloe… Chloe… Come back to me." With effort, Chloe opened her eyes.

"Clark," she whispered happily. She felt him start and then arms, arms that had carried her to safety, tightened .

"Chloe!" Clark exclaimed softly. He shifted her until she was nestled securely in his lap, her head resting in the crook of his neck. "I thought I’d really lost you."

"I knew you’d find me. I told you so," Chloe spoke quietly as contentment settled over her. She felt sleepy, very sleepy. The effects of being safe and protected registered in her brain and Chloe felt her nerves relax.

"You did?" Clark asked.

Chloe nodded, her forehead nuzzling Clark’s neck. “Yeah. Every time I almost died, you were there. You pushed me back.” Chloe moved her head slowly and looked up at him with hazy eyes. Clark didn’t know if it was the late morning sun or the fact that he could have lost her but Chloe looked too beautiful for words. A lump formed in Clark’s throat as Chloe brought a hand up to graze his stubble covered chin.

"You always find me, Clark."

"Oh, Chloe," Clark breathed. He kissed her forehead gently. Chloe settled back against him only to rouse a few seconds later.

"I did the right thing, didn’t I? Getting you into the sunlight?" Chloe asked urgently, her eyes round like a frightened child.

Clark smoothed her hair back from her face and caught a tear slipping down her cheek on his fingertip. “Yes, thank you, Chloe. It seems you saved me instead. Now, sleep. You’re safe now.” Clark laid his head on top of hers, sheltering her within his arms.

"I know," Chloe nestled back down, letting the rhythm of Clark’s heart lull her to sleep. Clark ran one hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture until he was sure Chloe had fallen asleep. He then pulled her phone out of his pocket and dialed Pete.

"Clark?" Pete answered.

"Yeah. I’ve got her. I need your help though…"


	12. Shock

After several hours without a word from Clark, Pete dragged Sheldon Voss, Carter Hogan’s roommate and lackey, down to his car and drove to the police station. A hard-nosed beat cop took Pete seriously and threw Sheldon in a holding cell until Detective Johnson could be called in. Just as Pete began to worry about what to tell the detective, he got the call from Clark.

 

Pete slipped out of the station unnoticed and followed Clark’s directions. “I’m here,” Pete said, screeching to a stop outside the warehouse. Pete threw his phone over into the passenger seat and stepped out of his car.

 

"Gotta admit, the boy’s got style," Pete muttered as he stepped over the mangled iron doors. Looking for the landmarks Clark gave him, Pete found the hall and made his way down. Rounding a corner Pete stopped. Unexpectedly, he saw a form sprawled on the floor. From his vantage point Pete could see blood matted in blonde hair. He gulped, reminding himself Clark had Chloe and she was alive and safe.

 

"Clark?" He called out. He heard Clark faintly just down the hall. When he got to the limp body, Pete turned his head away, not sure if could stomach the damage up close. Catching sight of a brown toe of a boot, Pete headed into a room off the hall. On the floor he saw Clark, Chloe held securely in his arms. Pete knelt and laid a hand on Chloe’s blonde head, assuring himself she was real.

 

"I’ve called 911. They should be here soon. I want to get her to the hospital, make sure no damage was done," Clark said as Pete squatted next to them.

 

"What happened?" Pete asked.

 

"Here, take her. I need to get up," Clark began to hand Chloe off. Pete got his arms underneath Chloe only to realize her hands were twisted in Clark’s shirt. It seemed in her subconscious, Chloe clung to her safety net even though the danger was lying dead in the hallway.

 

"Don’t disturb her," Clark amended. "Just help me up."

 

Pete did his best to shoulder Clark up to his feet. When both were standing, Pete asked, “What happened to you?” He had never seen Clark so drained before.

 

"That was one nasty drug. I got a taste of it myself." Clark heard sirens. "They’re almost here."

 

"What do you need me to do?" Pete asked, careful to hold Clark steady as the two left the room.

 

"Anything. The drug was laced with Kryptonite and I don’t know when my abilities will return to full strength. Until then I don’t need anyone looking too close," Clark answered.

 

"I’ll do what I can, but I don’t know how much it’ll help," Pete replied quietly as three paramedics hustled toward them pushing a gurney. Even in Clark’s weakened condition, he refused to relinquish his hold of Chloe and Pete, in hopes of distracting them, pointed towards the prone body on the floor.

 

"Hutchins," a tall, good-looking paramedic spoke into a wireless radio attached to his shoulder. A garbled response was heard and the paramedic began speaking again. "We’ve got a body. Call the ME. I’m sending the vic, a blonde Caucasian female, out to you, looks to be suffering from shock. She’s escorted by two males, one Caucasian, one African American. Trew, Weston and I will stay with the body until Berger gets here." He then nodded, dismissing them. Pete pushed Clark ahead of him as they went.

 

Outside, Pete and Clark stiffened at the sight of two detectives, one Johnson, stepping out of their unmarked squad car.

 

"Head over to the ambulance," Pete ordered Clark. "I’ll handle this."

 

Clark walked off, leaving Pete to the detectives. Johnson, Clark saw, kept eying him but tuned back to Pete when he uttered the words ‘dead body’. Two other paramedics met Clark half way and swept Chloe out of his arms. Efficiently they loaded her into the back. Clark watched, wanting to follow her but unsure if he would be allowed. Then one stuck his head out and called, “You comin’?”

 

Clark glanced over at Pete who was still in deep conversation with Detective Johnson. A quick wave of his hand told Clark to get his butt on the ambulance. Climbing in, Clark sat back as the EMT slammed the doors shut.

 

"All in, Hutchins," he said as his partner started the vehicle, sirens and lights flashing.

 

"You wanna tell me what happened?" The paramedic asked Clark.

 

While the guy took Chloe’s vitals and shone a tiny penlight in all of her facial openings, Clark told his story. By the time they arrived at Metropolis General, Clark felt almost normal.

 

With short, proficient movements, Hutchins and the other EMT, Osbourne, unloaded Chloe from the ambulance and wheeled her into the ER. Clark followed closely but was stopped abruptly by a plump nurse dressed in bright green who stepped in front of him.

 

"I’m sorry, sir, but you need to wait outside." And before he could react, she snapped the curtains together, obscuring Chloe from Clark’s sight. A doctor bumped his shoulder as he, too, ran behind the curtains. Not to his surprise, the green clad nurse reappeared.

 

"Come with me, young man," she ordered, her authoritative voice leaving no room for argument. Clark followed reluctantly.

_"You say everything seems normal? Draw some blood and run all the tests. Then schedule her for an EKG and a CAT-scan. I want to see what those levels…"_ Clark shut off his hearing. He didn’t need to torment himself. Chloe was going to be fine, but his guts squirmed.

 

The nurse led him into a crowded waiting area and over to the Admitting Desk. After a few curt words to the clerk, she turned back to Clark.

 

"You wait here," she said before waddling off.

 

"Here.”  The male clerk thrust a clipboard and a pencil at him. “Sit over there and fill those out then bring them back.”

 

Clark took a seat and rifled through the admissions forms. Name and address were easy, along with date of birth. Allergies? Anything decaffeinated. He listed himself as her emergency contact, but the next question made him pause. Relationship to patient? Did the entire world demand an answer to this question? Would they talk to him if he listed himself as a friend, he wondered? Clark stared at the blank a little longer and then filled it in, hoping there would be no awkward questions later. Completing the last of the forms, Clark returned them to the clerk.

 

"Everything seems in order, Mr. Kent. We just need a copy of her insurance card," the clerk said, looking at him expectantly.

 

"Sure. Can I get it faxed to you?" Clark asked quickly. The clerk gave him the number and Clark returned to his chair. He took out Chloe’s cell and pressed his lips together. Boy, how he dreaded this call.

 

_"She what?!"_ Came the outraged reply. Clark held the phone away as a few of Lois’s favorite phrases flew. _"Clark? Clark!"_

 

"She’s fine, Lois! I just need her insurance card. Does she have insurance?" Clark asked suddenly.

 

_"Of course she does!"_ Lois blustered. _"It’s in her purse."_

 

"She doesn’t have her purse. Do you-"

 

_"Why doesn’t she have her purse?"_ Lois was not taking the news well. Clark called to tell her, Chloe, her little cousin was in the ER and Lois was going on about a purse! Clark shook his head and squeezed the bridge of his nose. That headache was coming back.

 

"I’ll explain later, Lois," Clark interrupted her hysterical musings. "Do you have a copy?"

 

_"Yes, I do. For emergencies. But I’m at the Talon! It’ll take me an hour to get there!"_ Lois replied shrilly.

 

"They said you can fax it. Here’s the number." Clark rattled off the number, having Lois repeat it three times to make sure she’d copied it down correctly.

 

After telling the clerk the fax was on its way, Clark relaxed back into his chair. Two seconds later he was on his feet again to meet Lana and Pete.

 

"How is she?" Lana asked.

 

"I don’t know," Clark told them both. "No one has told me anything yet." Lana took a hand in hers and led him back to the chair he’d been slouching in. Pete excused himself again, going in search of a coke machine and giving Lana the alone time with Clark she’d requested on the way over.

 

"Pete filled me in. He dropped by and picked me up. I hope that was OK," Lana explained tentatively.

 

"Yeah. I would have called you, but all I could think of was getting Chloe here," Clark replied unapologetically.

 

"Clark, I understand. I am sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have gone all weepy on you when Chloe was the first priority. But sometimes-"

 

"Mr. Kent?" The doctor who bumped Clark before stood before them.

 

"Yes?" Clark stood, Lana followed holding his arm.

 

"I’m Dr. Matthews," he introduced himself with an outstretched hand which Clark shook jerkily.

 

"I have good news and bad news," Dr. Matthews started calmly. "Ms. Sullivan is stable. All her vitals are good and normal and she’s breathing on her own, which are good signs. However, she’s slipped into what we call a Stress Induced Coma."

 

"And what is that?" Clark asked, his heart jumping into his throat. His guts had been right.

 

"It’s where the body, after experiencing extremely high levels of adrenaline, drops back to normal. The brain will shut certain areas off to recuperate," Dr. Matthews explained. "Her body was greatly taxed by the drug she was given. From what we can tell, her body fluctuated between extreme states of high adrenaline and deep unconsciousness. After the last adrenaline high, her body took over and forced her consciousness into a restful state so her body could return to its original stasis."

 

"Will she wake up?" Lana asked with a catch in her voice.

 

"Ms. Sullivan is a very healthy young woman and after what she’s been through, I can tell she doesn’t give up easily. There is substantial brain activity, a fact that takes the odds way up. But there is no way to know. Comas are serious, even if one is the body’s solution to heal itself," Dr. Matthews finished.

 

"Can I see her?" Clark asked.

 

"Yes. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your fiancée. Right this way, Mr. Kent." Dr. Matthews motioned for Clark to walk with him. Pete stepped up beside Lana, having caught most of the conversation.

 

"Fiancée?" Pete looked at Lana for confirmation. She looked back at him, her eyes registering shock.

 

"Chloe’s Husband-To-Be obviously."


	13. Reflections

Two weeks later, Chloe still lay in a hospital bed. Her condition was unchanged, although on the last brain scan Dr. Matthews ordered the activity had increased greatly. Clark hadn’t moved far from the chair beside Chloe’s bed. He stayed beside her, memorizing every strand of hair, every freckle, and every curve of her face. Clark counted her breaths, her heart beats, and her pulse. He watched anxiously as she moved restlessly in her sleep, waiting for her to open her eyes after a deep intake of breath. Nurses came and went. Dr. Matthews updated him almost daily and always left him with a reason to hope. The staff was quiet, respectful and quick, always aware of the vigil husband-to-be ever by Chloe’s side.

 

One morning, on the 17th day of Chloe’s hospitalization, Clark strolled down the hall of the 4th floor Post Op Ward. “Hi Gina. Hi Donna. You doing good this morning?” Clark greeted the nurses he saw most every day.

 

"Fine. How are you today, Clark?" Gina, Clark’s favorite nurse, responded. She was about his mother’s age and always spoke to Chloe as if she were awake.

 

"Feeling good. I think today is gonna be a good day. Anything happen last night?" Clark asked, as usual.

 

"Now, you know I’d call you if something did. She had a good night. Very quiet and restful," Gina answered exactly as she did every morning when she saw the Kent boy.

 

Gina Vasquez had been a nurse for over 25 years. She’d seen many coma patients come and go. After the five day mark, people began to pull away. The patient became something you visited on holidays and special occasions.

 

When Gina met Clark, she didn’t pay him much attention. He was young and good-looking. The girl probably was his high school sweetheart and they’d gotten engaged right after graduation. Love like that normally didn’t last. You changed; you grew as you got older. And it didn’t help when the other half was unconscious. Gina gave him three days before his visits became shorter and more infrequent.

 

After Chloe had been in Gina’s ward for a week, Gina decided Clark wasn’t like the others.

 

Clark Kent arrived shortly after 7:30 each morning, showered and with a clean shave. He carried with him two cups of coffee from a place called The Talon and a folded Daily Planet under one arm. He would set one of the cups on the table by Chloe’s head and then drink the other one, having a one-sided conversation. Once he was done with his coffee, Clark would open the newspaper and for the next two hours would read. Aloud. Cover to cover.

 

Gina normally got off around the time Clark would have lunch. There were two girls, she didn’t know who those were except for they were very close friends of the couple, would alternate bringing him something to eat. One, a tall girl with chestnut colored hair would usually huff in with a mess of bags smelling of burgers and other fried goodies. The two would eat right on the bed tray, laughing and talking boisterously, including Chloe in everything that passed between them. The other was a delicate looking brunette who glided through with a ruffled picnic basket and a pink thermos. Gina noticed, along with other nurses, this lunch was usually quieter than the other. If the brunette didn’t get Clark out of the room as she tried to do every time, the two would eat at the table over by the window, talking in hushed tones or staring morosely at the walls. When this girl left, Clark would go back to his chair and stare at Chloe like he was looking for answers. Later, when Gina would return for the beginning of another twelve hour shift that began at midnight, she’d find Clark still there, head lolling on his shoulder. Gina would shake him gently awake. While she took Chloe’s vitals, Clark would pour out the second cup of coffee he never drank and pack up to go home.

 

_"See ya tomorrow?" He’d ask._

 

_"Yes, bright and early. You have a nice night," Gina told him._

 

_"You’ll call me if anything changes?"_

_"Definitely. Go on, now. Visiting hours ended three hours ago."_

 

And so passed the days of Clark Kent.

 

"You working tonight?" Clark asked, pulling Gina from her reverie.

 

"No. I took tonight off. My grandson’s championship little league game is tonight."

 

"Well, good luck to your grandson," Clark told her with a smile.

 

"Thanks, Clark." Gina watched him walk away and down into Chloe’s room. Maybe today, she hoped.

 

"Good morning, Chloe," Clark chirped as he entered her room. "Heard you had a good night." Clark continued the chatter for a good hour before he picked up the Daily Planet. This morning, he read absently, his mind somewhere else.

 

His dad died 4 months ago today. For the first time this morning, he woke and didn’t expect to see his father in the kitchen, slurping coffee from his cowboy mug. He didn’t expect to find his mother in the kitchen making a big breakfast for her two hungry men. What he _really_ didn’t expect was to find a large bouquet of purple irises sitting on his kitchen table. The note was from Lionel Luthor to Martha Kent, commending her for the lovely speech she gave on Farmer’s Rights. Clark’s stomach turned over. Feeling no remorse, Clark plucked them from their crystal vase and chucked in the garbage before he stormed out of the house.

 

Laying aside the newspaper, Clark took Chloe’s hand in his. For purely selfish reasons today, he wanted her to wake up more than ever. He needed to talk to her. To hear her voice, feel her hand squeezing his back. To tell him he wasn’t being irrational or acting like a petulant child, which is _exactly_ what he was acting like, she would tell him.

 

Clark never realized how much he leaned on Chloe. Clark Kent, the man would could lift 5,000 times his own body weight and more, relied on this little wisp of a girl for his strength. With his father gone, Chloe had been the only one he could _really_ talk to; she was the one Clark depended on to keep him grounded. Not Lana or Pete. Not his mother. Chloe, the one laying in the bed looking so small and fragile. She stood by him come what may and supported him in everything. Did she know how much he needed her? Did she know how much she meant to him?

 

Right on the heels of those questions came others, more difficult and more uncomfortable than the last. What were he and Chloe? What were he and Lana?

 

Chloe and him tried the romance route before. For one shining moment, Clark could remember being completely happy. With Chloe in his arms, gazing up at him, a sense of contentment as he had never known stole over him. And then he turned into Clark again.

 

Clark didn’t regret saving Lana. If it were Pete or Chloe, he would do the same. He’d even run out on dates with Lana to get those two who always managed to find sticky situations.

 

Remembering the summer they’d been 15, Clark wanted to make it up to Chloe for the night of the Spring Formal. But she shot him down, serving him with the friendship speech. Looking back now, after the past years, Clark realized he grabbed it and ran. He wondered, sitting in Chloe’s room watching her sleep, if they really had been saving their friendship or saving face? Returning to what was comfortable for each of them? He didn’t know about Chloe, but Clark admitted to himself he sure didn’t fight for them. Lana had been unreachable. Untouchable. _Safe._ Chloe was real, warm and standing right in front of him. Clark put his head in his hands.

 

All these questions! Would there ever be answers? And if so, what were they to be? After several moments, Clark did something he never did when sitting with Chloe. He laid his head down, taking her hand in his again and fell asleep.


	14. Conscious

Eyelids began to flutter. A low moan sounded; the kind of moan when one awakens from a long, uninterrupted sleep. Opening one eye slowly and then the next, Chloe allowed her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the sun streaming in around her. She lay still for a moment, waking up completely. Glancing around, Chloe could tell she was in a real hospital, the good kind; with doctors and nurses and physically sick people. Chloe wondered where she was, though. Metropolis General? Smallville Medical Center? That place in the Yukon with the really tasty apple juice?

Chloe spotted Clark sound asleep. Gently withdrawing her hand from his, Chloe maneuvered herself into a sitting position without waking him. Smiling down at him, Chloe reached out a hand to caress his silky black hair which contrasted quite nicely with her crisp white sheets. Chloe stroked the hair off his forehead, admiring the way his nose curved and how his thick lashes rested against his skin. He looked pale and tired. Chloe wondered how long Clark had been here, how long had she? She felt good, though. Rested and alert.

 

      Spying the remote on the bedside table beside a cup of coffee from the Talon, Chloe clapped her hands excitedly. Stretching her arms over her head, she reached over and grabbed both. Rearranging some pillows behind her, Chloe settled back down into them. The coffee was slightly cold, but it was coffee, a welcome pleasure. Turning the TV down so as not to wake Clark, Chloe began to channel surf; searching for a news station and a calendar date.

 

      A couple of minutes later, an older nurse came in, her eyes occupied by the chart she held in her hands. Her name tag read Gina and Chloe could also make out ‘Metropolis General’ just underneath it. She sighed with relief.

 

      Gina placed the chart on the counter and turned to Chloe, ready to take her mid-morning vitals. Gina yelped when she looked into the girl’s alert and _open_ hazel eyes.

 

      "Shhh!" Chloe whispered hurriedly, holding an elegant finger to her mouth. "He’s sleeping." Chloe pointed to the black head resting next to her lap.

 

      "I need to go get a doctor," Gina said softly.

 

      "Gina? Would you mind not, please? I just woke up and I don’t feel like being poked and prodded," Chloe told her.

 

      "Well… You do _look_ fine,” Gina observed as she approached Chloe. Her color was good and she seemed to be coherent.

 

      "Okay," Gina relented. "If you’ll let me at least take a look at you."

 

      "Sounds good to me," Chloe complied with a smile.

 

      "What is your full name?" Gina started.

 

      "Chloe Anne Sullivan."

 

      "When were you born?"

 

      "1987."

 

      "A date, Ms. Sullivan," Gina reminded her good-naturedly as she took Chloe’s wrist and felt the pulse.

 

      "January 23rd," Chloe answered with a giggle.

 

      "Good," Gina encouraged. "Do you know where you are?"

 

      "You’re name tag says Metropolis General so I am obviously still in Kansas. And I do know this is a hospital. What is today?" Chloe asked, just a little scared of the answer.

 

      "You’ve only been here for 2 weeks. It’s March 6th. Do you know what year?"

 

      "2006."

 

      Gina replaced the blood pressure cuff back on the wall and draped her stethoscope around her neck.

 

      "I have one more question," Gina told Chloe.

 

      "Shoot," Chloe said before a sip of cool coffee.

 

      "Do you know how you got here?"

 

      "I’m pretty sure Clark brought me in. I remember everything that happened to me. All synapses are firing on that front."

 

      "Well, you seem fine, hon," Gina said with a glad smile. "Dr. Matthews is in charge of your case so I’ll send him over when he comes in. I know he’ll want to speak with you and your husband-to-be right way. He gets here at two, so you have four hours to yourself." Gina squeezed Chloe’s arm and left, taking her chart with her. Chloe watched her depart with wide eyes and an open mouth. Then she looked down at a sleeping Clark.

 

      Clark slept for another half hour before the touch of someone’s fingers woke him. He brought his watch up to his face.

 

      "Lana, you’re early. Didn’t you have class?" The stroking hand stilled for a second or two, and then began again, tunneling through his hair. Clark lifted his head. Chloe sat up in bed, her eyes open and the coffee halfway to her mouth. Her hand slipped down and lay against his cheekbone. Chloe smiled softly into Clark’s bewildered face.

 

      "So…uh…have we set a date yet?" She asked.

 

      Clark continued to stare at her, not sure if he was still asleep, his mouth flopping open like a dead fish.

 

      "Clark." Chloe said forcefully, smacking his cheek smartly.

 

      "Chloe!" Clark cried as he shot up from his chair, knocking it backwards. It met the floor with a clatter. Before Chloe could think, Clark was practically climbing into the bed as he leaned over to get his arms around her. Chloe held the coffee cup high, hugging him with one arm as she laughed at his exuberant embrace.  
  


      It felt so good to have Chloe hugging him back!

 

      "Clark, I need to breath!" Chloe exclaimed happily.

 

      Clark planted a big kiss on her cheek before letting Chloe go. He righted his chair and sat back down. Reclaiming her hand, Clark drank in Chloe’s open and sparkling eyes. Chloe blushed under Clark’s intense scrutiny, a twisty feeling gripping her lower belly as his fingers began to twine with hers.

 

      "What did you ask me?" Clark questioned her after his initial excitement at seeing her awake subsided.

 

      "Oh," Chloe remembered. She smiled sweetly at Clark, drinking the last of the coffee in one gulp. "I asked you if we had set a wedding date yet. Since I don’t remember being engaged when I was last coherent, I guess we’ve had a busy two weeks." Her statement was punctuated by the sound of her cup swishing into the wastebasket.

 

      Clark lowered his eyes and grinned sheepishly. “How are you feeling?” He asked, trying to artfully side step that discussion.

 

      "Good. Second chance at life good. The last thing I remember you told me to go to sleep. Looks like I _do_ follow directions. What happened to cause me to wake up 2 weeks later?” Chloe asked.

 

      "Dr. Matthews, your doctor, said your mind put you in a coma resulting from all the stress your body underwent when you were being held," Clark paraphrased for her.

 

      "Stress, yeah," Chloe snorted. "If that’s what they call knocking on death’s door these days, then sure." She looked at Clark in merriment only to find his eyes clouded with irritation.

 

      "What were you doing, Chloe? Why didn’t you tell me about this? I could have helped you," Clark admonished her.

 

      "It was the subject of an article I was working on for my journalism class. I’m not sure my journalism prof would have been happy with me sharing the by-line." Chloe’s smile melted under Clark’s reproaching eyes. "Okay, _I_ didn’t want to share my by-line! It had the makings of an awesome story and I wanted to be the one who cracked it. I was hoping I could also deliver it to the editor at the Daily Planet. The basement is starting to get a little stuffy,” Chloe finished apologetically.

 

      "I would never make you share your by-line, Chloe," Clark replied. "I’m just glad I found you."

 

      "Me, too, Clark." Chloe squeezed his hand, sitting back against her pillows. "Have I had any other visitors?"

 

      "Yeah, tons. Lois, Lana, Mom and Pete. Which reminds me, I need to call him and let him know you’re up and running again." Clark pulled out the replacement phone he purchased and dialed Pete. He left a short message and then switched it back off. "And I had no idea you were so popular at the Daily Planet! There was a steady flow of co-workers who came by to see you on the third or fourth day you were here."

 

      "Are you sure I knew them or were they just being nosy reporters?" Chloe pointed out. Her ordeal having reached the Daily Planet by now, a reporter or two must have come sniffing around for a story. _Sorry guys,_ Chloe thought, _this one is all mine._

 

      "I didn’t think to check," Clark countered sarcastically.

 

      Chloe cleared her throat, ignoring Clark’s testy comment. “What exactly happened, Clark? I’m still a little fuzzy on the details of how I got here.”

 

      "I think I’m the one who gets to ask the questions. How did you get involved in this?" Clark asked incredulously.

 

      "There was this kid…" Chloe began.

 

      "How did you figure out that New Death was the same thing these people were testing?" Clark questioned after Chloe finished her narrative.

 

      "I ran across this flier-“

 

      "Yep, saw the flier," Clark interrupted. "Definitely didn’t look like your type of extracurricular activity."

 

      "Come on, Clark. You saw that clandestine one-liner message. Of course it was my kind of thing! Top it off with kryptonite and I was hooked." Clark rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement. He’d forgotten about the Green K. Vintage Chloe. "So I did my usual digging and found out what it was and the side effects from a very helpful source."

 

      "Did you know who you source was?"

 

      "No. We met a couple times outside the college hospital on the quad. He was always dressed in baggy clothes and a cap pulled down to hide his face. I knew he worked at the hospital, though." Chloe told him.

 

      "Did you happen to recognize the man who held you hostage?" Clark asked.

 

      "Barely. After a while all he looked like was a psycho," Chloe said with a shudder.

 

      "He was. It was Carter Hogan, the leader of New Death. He worked at the hospital as part of his medical courses. I’m wondering if he was your source. But why would he abduct you if he was feeding you information?" Clark wondered aloud.

 

      "All I know is he kept saying he had to make a believer out of me, whatever that meant. Safe to say though, I don’t think it took."

 

      "Me neither," Clark concurred.

 

      "That’s right. You got a taste of death yourself. Did you see anything?" Chloe asked.

 

      Clark looked over her shoulder at the blood pressure cuff hanging there. He wasn’t ready to share his revelations yet; he was still trying to work through it himself. “Not too much. Just talked to my dad,” Clark answered vaguely.

 

      "I talked to your dad, too."

      "Really? What did he say to you?" Clark asked with interest.

 

      "That you were trying to find me. I never doubted that you would find me, Clark," Chloe told him, her eyes speaking to his. "At times, it was the only thought keeping me going, keeping me fighting."

 

      "You told me," Clark said quietly, running his thumb along her knuckles. Chloe’s shiver did not go undetected. Clark bit back a smile.

 

      "I did?" Chloe raised an eyebrow in her always handy, sarcastic, disbelieving facial expression as she met his eyes again.

 

      "After we both woke up. In your dreams." Clark watched Chloe do something she rarely did. She went red. "You wanna tell me about those?"

 

      "I really don’t know," Chloe started. "It was weird. They seem so real, even now but I know they aren’t. The first one I was at my memorial service. Everyone I loved was there. And then I saw you," Chloe’s face softened. "You told me I shouldn’t be there. The second time, I was on the farm. I saw your dad and then you. The third one I was…I-" Chloe stopped abruptly. She lowered her head and pulled her hand out of Clark’s grasp. He watched a glistening droplet fall to the little hand now settled in her lap.

 

      "Chloe?" Clark bent his head to try and see her face. She was crying silently. "What’s wrong?"

 

      "I’m sorry, Clark. It’s just that…I was in this dark place. I know…I was trapped inside my own mind." Chloe’s voice was thick with tears. Clark felt her agony clear down to his bones. She’d already lived her worst nightmare two times and to have to do it again a third… Clark willed her to continue, trying to give her some of his strength by waiting patiently.

 

      "It was… I wanted to die, Clark. I couldn’t have thought of anything better at that point than to die." Chloe raised her face. Clark’s heart leapt into his throat at the torment and tears spilling from her eyes. Clark rose from his chair. Without even thinking, he nudged Chloe over and climbed into the narrow hospital bed. He pulled her small, shaking body to his. Chloe came easily, taking the comfort Clark offered. She settled her head on his chest and cried openly.

 

      Gina, who’d been keeping an eye on the two, slipped in quietly and shut the blinds on the hall windows. Clark smiled gratefully at as her as Gina pulled the door closed behind her, giving them privacy.

 

      For a long time, the only sounds were Chloe’s pained sobs and Clark’s reassuring voice. When it seemed Chloe would never stop, she took a great breath and let it out. Chloe reached across Clark’s body to get a tissue. Clark grabbed the box and put it in his lap. Chloe mopped her eyes and then blew her nose, the sound trumpeting through the room. Chloe raised her hazel eyes to Clark’s sea green ones, tissue still held over her nose.

 

      "Sorry…" Chloe apologized in her best Fran Fine imitation.

 

      "Quite all right," Clark responded, his own Maxwell Sheffield not so well done.

 

      Chloe tossed the tissue to her feet and nestled her head on his broad chest once more. After a sigh, Clark knew she was about to begin again.

 

      "I screamed and screamed but no one came. Finally I just lay down on the cold floor and waited."

 

      "Waited for what?"

 

      "For death, I guess," Chloe answered in a small voice. "Then I heard my name. I remember feeling safe and warm and no longer alone. Then I woke up in your arms and realized it was your voice that pulled me back, like so many other times." Chloe raised her head. Her face was filled with such wonder and heartache, tear paths shining on her cheeks. "You saved me, Clark. You save me in every way."

 

      Clark’s eyes caressed her face. Her soft shoulder length blonde hair shimmered in the sun. Her eyes filled with tears looked bigger and greener than he’d ever seen them. They begged Clark to tell Chloe she was okay. She was safe and loved. She would never be alone. Clark’s gaze flitted to her mouth. Her lips were a delicate pink and they parted as she breathed. His head began to spin as a devilish urge took hold of him and he wondered what it would feel like to kiss her.

 

      Clark and Chloe had shared many kisses and almost-kisses before. Kryptonite influenced kisses. However, there was one Clark found himself reliving often. The two of them had sneaked into Smallville Medical Center’s record room, searching for Seth Nelson’s hospital file. The boy acquired some interesting powers, enabling him to control a body’s electrochemical system after a visit with an MRI machine. His target was Lana, making her think she was madly in love with him. Getting what they’d come from they started to leave when the only door opened. Suddenly, Chloe threw Clark up against a wall of lockers, pressing her small frame to his large one and kissed him urgently. Unable to think, Clark did what felt only natural. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and returned her kiss. For innumerable seconds, Clark was lost in Chloe’s smell, her hair, her softness. To Clark’s utter embarrassment, he heard a discreet cough. Chloe disentangled herself from him and turned to look innocently at the doctor who’d caught them. The two exchanged words, but all Clark heard was the roar of his own blood.   
  


 

      "A good reporter always thinks on her feet," Chloe quipped before she scampered out of the room, pulling a face at him as she went. Clark followed, still embarrassed. Not only had he been caught making out in a hospital file room, but as Clark walked behind Chloe, all he could think of was the pressure of her body against his. Not something appropriate to be fixated on about your best friend, Clark told himself. A friend who was almost more at one time. A friend who decided they should remain just that, good friends. Two years later, Clark knew he resented that doctor for interrupting what might have happened, even if he was the reason why Chloe kissed Clark in the first place. He also resented that woman and her daughter at the hotel elevator. Meddlers, all of them.

 

      The side of Clark’s mouth lifted in a smirk. Chloe’s eyes, her big doe eyes looked up at him with such trust and she was so sweet and soft at his side. The all-American red-blooded male half of Clark Kent kicked in. Now seemed to be the perfect time to find out what might have been.

 


	15. Sacrifice

Chloe felt Clark’s attention shift; felt tension permeate the space around them. She felt his breath become slightly labored and felt his sinew stiffen. Then Chloe realized Clark was gazing at her mouth. Before she could stop herself, Chloe’s tongue darted out and moistened her lips, a nervous twitch she developed a few years back. Clark’s nostrils flared. His own mouth was set in a grim line and Chloe watched as Clark slowly raised his eyes to meet hers. What Chloe saw took her breath away.

Many nights Chloe fell asleep dreaming of this exact look; a mixture of want and need swirling around the oceanic depths. But faced now with the reality of her dreams, Chloe began to tremble. One of the hardest things she’d ever done was give up the fantasy of Clark Kent; the fantasy of being wanted back just as much as she wanted him. Looking into Clark’s eyes though, Chloe wondered if the tides were turning. Could it be her slight brush with death, all 3 of them, struck a chord within Clark? Could he finally be seeing Chloe as a woman and not his spunky sidekick? She could only dare to dream.

Chloe made a half attempt at a smile, but none was returned. Panic seized her when she saw Clark’s mouth start to descend. Half of her brain was screaming, the words trying to dislodge from her throat to stop him, to tell him no. The other half, the stronger half, already lifted her face upward and lowered her eyelids. Chloe felt his lips brush hers. At first, she couldn’t bring herself to respond. Was this real or just another hallucination?

As if to answer Chloe’s question, Clark pressed her lips more firmly. Clark Kent was actually kissing her, without any type of influence or situation. Just a simple, pure kiss.

Chloe responded with all the love she kept hidden in heart, choosing this moment to let it spill out and over into Clark. She pressed one hand to his hard abdomen and cupped his smooth cheek with the other. As Clark deepened the kiss, Chloe’s hand instinctively slithered from his cheek, her fingers curling into the thick hair that kissed his shirt collar. A growl sounded from Clark, a noise Chloe never thought she would be able to illicit from him. Clark’s hands settled securely on her small waist, his fingers spanning Chloe’s back.

Tilting her body backwards, Chloe wrapped her arms around Clark’s neck. Inside her spinning head, a grumbling thought floated around at how uncomfortable she was, but Chloe silenced it. Her body was on fire. Why was Clark the only one who could make her feel this way? Alive and tingly from head to foot.

Chloe opened her mouth slightly as Clark began to nibble at her bottom lip. His tongue followed his teeth and the warm moist texture sent shivers down Chloe’s spine. Clark felt her tremble and pulled her even closer, willing whatever barrier between them to disappear. Clark abandoned Chloe’s mouth and began to kiss down her neck. Reaching the spot just behind her ear, Clark nuzzled her hair. She smelt spicy; like the cinnamon buns his mother used to make.

"I want _you_ ,” Clark’s voice husked in her ear.

Chloe’s eyes flew open. _What am I doing?!_ She cried inwardly. Lana was her best friend! No matter how she felt about Clark, she knew he and Lana were in love; meant to be together.

Her and Clark’s friendship was so strong, but was it strong enough to survive if they continued down this particular path? Were they? Chloe wanted Clark more than anything; wanted Clark to the very depths of her soul. However, she would gladly forgo any chance of being with him if it meant having to choose between having him as a friend or not at all. Chloe looked over Clark’s shoulder into a mirror hanging on the closet door. Her eyes stared back at her; disgusted. This was wrong. Clark was still in shock at almost losing her, his _best friend._

_This needs to stop,_ Chloe ordered herself.

Clark brought a hand up and turned Chloe’s face back to him where he captured her lips once more. Chloe put her hands on his chest to push him away.

Feeling Chloe pulling back, Clark braced his hands on the small of her back. Chloe pushed harder, finally clamping her mouth shut, breaking contact with him. Chloe felt Clark retreat and when she painfully opened her eyes Clark pulled his head back and looked at her in confusion.

Tears fell anew, making rivers down Chloe’s cheeks. She’d given him up yet again. Only this time, she hadn’t been protecting herself, but protecting him from a mistake he would come to regret. And Chloe wouldn’t be able to bear being a regret. Chloe struggled her way out of Clark’s restraining arms and away from his assisting hands. Her bare feet touched the cold tile floor and she raced to the bathroom.

"Chloe!" Clark exclaimed. The bed creaked under his weight as he scrambled off after her.

Chloe slammed the door in Clark’s face just as he caught up to her, hurt and concern marring his features. Chloe pressed her back to the door and sank to the floor. Burying her face in her hands, she mourned the one thing she would never let herself have.

"Chloe?" Clark called through the door, leaning against the door frame with both hands on either side. "Come on out. We need to talk about this."

No response.

"Chloe, open up," He tried again. "Hey, you know there are no locks that can keep me out." Clark forced laughter into his voice. He scrubbed his hands over his face.  What had he been thinking kissing her like that? And in her hospital bed of _all_ places! Clark mentally smacked his forehead. It was very possible he’d just ruined their friendship.

He needed Chloe. He knew that now. She shared his burdens, his joys and his mundane. In an odd way, she completed him. He never felt out of place when she was with him. His life, for the short time she was missing, had seemed darker and bleaker compared to now. Even with her silent on the other side of the door, Clark felt whole again. Clark rested his forehead against the door of the bathroom. How had he not seen it before all this happened?

"Chloe, please," Clark pleaded. "I want to talk to you and not through a door. Please open up."

Chloe got a funny feeling Clark meant something more than the door. Either way, it brought her to her knees. She cracked the door an inch, revealing one big, watery green eye.

"Chloe…" Clark started to kneel.

"No, Clark," Chloe spoke harshly. "You need to leave. We do need to talk but I can’t handle what will be a conversation to rival all between us after all my resurrections these past days. I need to be alone… I can’t, I’m sorry, I just can’t…" Her voice broke.

"Chloe-" The door shut in his face. "Damn it," Clark cursed with a little too much force.

_"Don’t break anything out there."_ He heard the muffled retort. Clark smiled. They both may be confused right now, but Chloe was still Chloe and she was still his best friend.

_"Clark?"_ Chloe called faintly.

"Yes?" He answered.

_"Remember you need to be back here around 2 for Dr. Matthews. You might want to keep up this charade until I’m safely out of here."_

****

"Don’t worry, I’ll be here," Clark told her.

****

_"I know."_ Clark could hear the catch in her voice. Not able to fight the urge, Clark sharpened his focus and watched the door melt away. Chloe sat curled on the floor in a little ball, her arms wrapped around her kneecaps and her chin quivering on her forearms.

****

"Call me if you need anything." Chloe nodded, knowing he could see her. Without another word, Clark picked up his jacket and left the room. His long legs carried him down to the elevators. He pressed the down button.

****

"Clark?" Gina called to him, coming out from behind the nurses’ counter.

****

"Yes?" Clark turned just as the elevator arrived with a ding and the doors slid open. He watched Lana step out and his stomach turned over.


	16. Suspicions

Lana Lang mechanically drove her SUV through all the traffic lights and turns leading to Metropolis General. Her mind was elsewhere today. Blowing off classes this morning, she’d driven out to Smallville to spend the time with Clark. Today, March 6th, was the five month anniversary of Mr. Kent’s death. Lana thought Clark could use some company or his girlfriend. Instead, she’d found a flustered Mrs. Kent cleaning up remnants of a shattered crystal vase.

 

      "Oh! Let me help you, Mrs. Kent!" Lana immediately scoured the rest of the kitchen floor while Mrs. Kent swept up the group she’d gathered into the dustpan. Once both women were sure no more glass littered the floor they faced each other upright.

 

      "Thank you, Lana. What brings you out here?" Mrs. Kent asked, going to the cupboard and taking down some mugs. Lana declined her offer of coffee with a shake of her head.  
  


      "I noticed what day it was on the calendar and wanted to come out and spend time with Clark. Is he around? I didn’t see him when I drove up."  
  


          "I’m sorry, Lana, but he already left for the hospital. You must have just missed him," Mrs. Kent told her.

 

          Lana stayed and visited Mrs. Kent for a while until Lois barreled through with a massive Senator-To-Do-List. Saying her good-byes, Lana left the Kent Farm.  
  


          At a crossroad out of town, Lana toyed with the idea of going by the mansion to see Lex. She decided against it. Lex would pick up on her annoyed mood right away and it wouldn’t be such a long leap to who was behind it. Lana didn’t feel up to defending her and Clark today, so she made the drive back to the city.

         

          For over two weeks now, Clark hadn’t wandered far from Chloe’s bedside. But today of all days, Lana really thought Clark would have sought her out. It seemed she’d been wrong. Clark would rather spend today with an unconscious girl then have to deal with emotions of a live one. Typical. This, on top of everything else, really angered Lana.  
  


          Why did Clark insist on habituating in that chair? Why couldn’t he wait it out at home or in the dorm or more importantly, with her? Lana also resented him taking up the roll of doting and concerned husband-to-be.  
  


          On some level, Lana realized she was acting very petty and small. For as long as she could remember, Clark wanted _her_. He had her now; why would he screw that up? Lana tried to reassure herself of this but it was becoming more difficult all the time; especially when her abandonment issues came out to play.  
  


          How many times had Clark left her hanging? More times than she could count on both hands. How many times had it been for Chloe? That number was significantly less but still substantial. A memory, never far from forgotten, surfaced. It was the first time Lana ever saw Clark in a very unflattering light.  
  


          "Clark, you can’t lie to me about something I saw with my own eyes. For once, just be honest with yourself. I know why Chloe was kissing you. But why were you kissing her back?"   
  


          Clark had no answer for her then. As of now, Lana never let Clark explain all his actions back before they’d gotten together. She was trying hard to keep the past in the past but it was hard when the past kept popping up in the form of Chloe and Clark sitting together on Chloe’s bed, at Chloe’s computer or on the floor with their heads bent together, blonde crashing with black. Clark would always jump up and hug or kiss her. They never looked guilty and Lana knew they never would.  
  


          Lana went through all the reasons in her relationship with Clark to cause her doubts as she maneuvered her SUV through busy Metropolis traffic. She couldn’t help it. Her biggest worry was her physical connection to Clark. It had taken a nose dive quite quickly early on. Uneasily, Lana wondered if she pushed Clark too fast for physical intimacy. But even if they weren’t sleeping together, Clark usually couldn’t keep his hands off her; like he was afraid she’d slip away. Jonathon Kent’s death hadn’t helped matters either. True, Lana pulled away first to give Clark grieving room. But even now, months later, he’d stopped trying to get close to her altogether. And with Chloe in a coma, Lana wouldn’t mind having some physical comfort from her boyfriend. But all he did was sit in that damn chair!  
  


          Most of them returned to their normal routines, keeping Chloe close in the back of their minds. Pete returned to Edge City where he was attending school. On weekends, like the last one, he drove down. Lois was keeping Mrs. Kent busy with her new senator duties and Lana went to classes like normal. She helped Lex out with Talon business whenever she made it out to Smallville, which since her relationship with Clark hit the rocks was more often than not, and visiting the mansion. A wash of guilt swept over her as she once again mentally berated Clark for his insistence at living in a chair for the past few weeks. What if Chloe woke up with no one there? The thought of her best friend waking alone brought tears to her eyes. And Clark was the one with the freest time in which to sit with her.  
  


          "That’s it, Lang," Lana told herself sternly. "You won’t be suspicious until you see something to be suspicious about."   
  


          Lana pulled into a parking space in the crowded hospital parking lot. She reached over into her passenger side seat to retrieve some papers and Chloe’s laptop she brought with her. On her way out of school yesterday, Lana stopped by Chloe’s classes to update her professors on her condition and pick up her weekly assignments. Chloe’s journalism professor reiterated his concern for his prize pupil and was still excited about what ‘Creative Chloe’ would have for him when she awoke. Lana smiled. She couldn’t wait to talk to Chloe. Lana missed her these past days and she hoped Chloe would wake up soon. The doctors still had no time frame on when or even if Chloe would wake, but they were optimistic.  
  


          Lana smiled at many of the hospital staff as she wobbled across the lobby to the elevators on her high heeled boots. Once inside, she thought about how happy Chloe would be when she did in fact wake; because she would, Lana thought with determination, and be able to jump right back in to work. Chloe’s ability to keep going, no matter what, was one of the many things Lana loved and admired about her best friend. Lana wished, so many times, she could soldier on as Chloe did. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open.  
  


          "Clark," Lana said coolly. Her tall boyfriend stood a stone’s throw away from her, talking to one of Chloe’s nurses.  
  


          "Lana," Clark replied, sounding weary and wary. He turned back to the nurse, Gina. "Can I talk to you later?"  
  


          "I just wanted to make sure you knew Dr. Matthews was coming in soon and would want to talk to you and Chloe," the older woman said with a smile.  
  


          "Yes, Chloe told me. Thanks, Gina. You have a good time tonight." The nurse and Clark smiled at each other. Clark turned back to Lana, looking down at her with a gaze Lana knew all too well. A gaze he used to have when he was hiding something.  
  


          "How’s Chloe today?" Lana asked, stubbornly ignoring the familiar expression on Clark’s face.  
  


          "Yeah," Clark cleared his throat. "She’s awake."  
  


          "She’s awake?" Lana felt her heart leap with gladness. "That’s wonderful! Where-where are you going?" Lana asked quickly as Clark began edging toward the elevator. His punched the down button.  
  


          "Chloe needed a moment so I stepped out to give her some time. I’ll be back later, though." The doors slid open and Clark tried to make a quick exit.  
  


          "Clark, wait," Lana called out sharply. She shoved Chloe’s school things in the resisting arms of Gina who was looking at her with a hostile gleam in her eye. Gina gripped the laptop, loose papers and thick spirals, watching the two disappear inside the elevator. _What is that girl’s deal?_ Gina thought with a huff as she retreated back behind the nurses’ counter and set her load on one of the shelves.  
  


          "Okay," Lana began, refusing to let Clark skirt her as he had these past weeks. "I understand you have been worried about Chloe, but I’m your _girlfriend_. For the past two weeks you haven’t kissed me or _touched_ me of you own free will. You haven’t even looked at me. What is going on?” Lana’s eyes flashed with the anger she’d been suppressing.  
  


          Clark’s heart raced. He hadn’t been counting on having to face Lana mere minutes after he mauled his best friend in her hospital bed. He needed a few minutes, or a few hours, to compose himself. “I’m sorry, Lana,” Clark stammered, careful not to look directly at her. “Just with all this with Chloe and my dad… It’s been hard. The thought of losing someone else I care for has done a number on me. I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”  
  


          "Would any of that load happen to have anything to do with us? Because if so, I think I should know," Lana looked Clark straight in the eye.  
  


          Clark opened his mouth then closed it, not sure what to say. What could he say? He wasn’t sure he should say anything at all. The doors opened and the busy hospital lobby spread out before them. Clark turned back to Lana who had closed her eyes. A bitter smile graced her face.  
  


          "Perfect time as always. There’s your escape route, Clark."  
  


          "Lana…" Clark began, but Lana held up a hand to stop him.  
  


          "Never mind. I’ll talk to you later. Isn’t that the line that is supposed to go here?" Lana quipped with venom. She studied the pointy tips of her shoes with intensity. Clark stepped off the elevator and watched the doors close. He saw Lana’s tears. He sure did have a knack for making women cry today. He needed to talk to someone. But who?  
  


          Back on the 4th floor, Lana stood in an open doorway. Chloe’s small form huddled in a chair over by a window. She was peeking through the blinds, her nose squished to the glass. Lana tapped lightly on the door. Chloe jumped and moved quickly away from the window. “Lana!” Chloe smiled brightly. She started to stand.  
  


          "No, no. Don’t get up. You need to rest." Lana hurried over and laid a hand on her slim shoulder.  
  


          "I’ve been resting for two weeks! Or so I’ve been told. I’m so ready to get out of here!" Chloe exclaimed as she settled back into the chair set over in the corner of her room. "I had to get out of that bed. It was driving me insane." Chloe grabbed strands of her blonde hair in frustration. Lana laughed at Chloe’s impatience; ready to go immediately after she woke from her unconscious state. Lana sat down at the foot of the bed, tucking her feet up under her.

 

          "I brought some of your school things. They’re at the nurses’ station when you want them. How are you feeling?" Lana asked.   
  


          "Like I died three times and came out the worse for wear," Chloe answered dryly.  
  


          "You know me and Clark would have helped you. You didn’t need to scope this out by yourself," Lana told Chloe.  
  


          "I know," Chloe responded, her voice small and quiet. "Honesty?"  
  


          "Of course," Lana said earnestly.  
  


          "With the death of Mr. Kent being so recent, I thought my sick fascination with this underground cult would send Clark over the edge. I know what he can take, Lana, and this would have been stretching the limits of the limitless Clark Kent," Chloe stated in a matter of fact tone.  
  


          Lana stopped herself from balking a Chloe’s almost know-it-all tone pertaining to Clark. Glossing over it, she responded, “Okay, that explains Clark. But why not me, Chloe? I thought we could tell each other anything,” Lana whispered.  
  


          Chloe looked away, hating the pain she caused Lana just by being secretive. Chloe couldn’t even imagine the pain she would feel if Lana knew Chloe’s _big_ secret. “I was afraid you’d be tempted,” Chloe answered hesitantly.  
  


          "Tempted?" Lana said incredulously. "Why would I ever be tempted by such a thing?"  
  


          "Because the drug offers people a chance to go to the edges of death. They can see loved ones who have gone before; glimpses of what the future might hold. I was afraid the lure of maybe seeing you parents again would be too much for you," Chloe replied, a brutal honesty glinting in her hazel eyes.   
  


          Lana nodded slowly. “I do understand, Chloe. I will admit I probably would have been a little tempted. Who wouldn’t? If you could have five more minutes, an hour or a whole day with people you love who have gone before. Did you see anyone?”   
  


          "Well…" Chloe started and then glanced out the window. "I saw you." She said as she turned her attention back to Lana.

 

          "Did I tell you anything insightful?"  
  
          "Actually, no. You were very silent."  
  


          "Darn," Lana spat with a snap of her fingers. "I thought in death we would all become more philosophical. Anyone else?" Lana fished.  
  


          "Lots of people. Pete, Lois, the Kents’, some other-"  
  


          "Clark?" She finally asked directly.  
  


          "Ummm…yeah. Clark was there. H-he actually was the one who kept sending me back," Chloe told Lana truthfully.  
  


          "I saw him coming out of the elevator," Lana told Chloe nonchalantly.  
  


          "Yeah, he said he needed to get going since I was awake and obviously fine," Chloe huffed out.  
  


          "Really?" Lana questioned. She waited for the indignant surprise at this revelation that Clark had told her a different story, but none came.  
  


          "Isn’t that what he said to you?" Chloe’s brows furrowed.  
  


          "Actually, he kind of blew me off," Lana lifted her hands in a helpless gesture. "He said you needed some time alone." She watched Chloe’s face scramble into many emotions, finally settling on slight indifference.  
  


          "Oh, yes," Chloe said hurriedly. "When I mentioned I needed to be alone for a little bit, he said that was great because he had something to do."  
  


          "Well, you got more out of him than I did," Lana began. “I don’t know what it is Chloe, but for the past few months, Clark seems not to be _here_.” Lana watched Chloe closely. Chloe was her best friend as well as Clark’s and Lana knew she was putting her in an awful position. But she needed someone to talk to. She needed Chloe’s snippy comments and sage advice.  
  


          "Lana, his dad just died. He’s not going to bounce back to the Clark we once knew," Chloe replied gently as she tucked some hair behind her ear.  
  


          "I know," Lana said as she slipped off the bed and onto her feet, walking over to one of the windows and surreptitiously peeping out of the blinds. She saw what Chloe was stealing glances at. Lana tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and pretended she hadn’t seen Clark leaning against the hood of his truck, looking up with his cell phone to his ear. "I just thought he’d be over the shock of it by now."  
  


          Chloe bit down on her tongue to keep her thoughts inside her mind. Lana died and to save her Clark begged his biological father to turn back time which Jor-El had done; warning Clark that the balance would be restored, another life taken in place of Lana’s. Clark assumed Jor-El would take his life. But instead, Jonathon Kent had been the one to replace Lana. Chloe wanted smack her friend; tell her just what Clark gave up to be with her and how ungrateful she was. To be alive while a great man like Jonathon Kent lay cold in the ground, leaving the family he loved more than anything behind who in turn needed him desperately, still holding tenaciously to his memory.   
  


          "You have to give him time, Lana. He’ll come back in time."   
  


          "I hope you’re right. I don’t know what I’d do without him, Chloe." Lana stole another glance out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched a tiny tear slip down her best friend’s smooth cheek. Suspicions were dangerous things.


	17. Conversations

After a rigorous physical exam by Dr. Matthews and a few extra days in the hospital, Chloe was released into the capable hands of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Her prescription was a month of semi-bed rest in a peaceful setting with no job, no school and, most importantly, no stress. Among Lois, Clark and Lana, it was decided Chloe would spend her month long hiatus at the Farm where she could be watched over carefully. At the end of every weekend Lana would make the trek from Metropolis to Smallville, bringing with her Chloe’s assignments and other things so she wouldn’t fall any more behind in her classes.

"Guys, you know, I’m fine. _Really_ ,” Chloe assured the people surrounding her. “I don’t need any relaxing. What I need is to get back to work.” Chloe crossed her arms petulantly as Lois pushed the wheelchair she’d been forced into by her hulking best friend. Automatic doors opened before Lois and she rattled her cousin across the threshold. Lana’s 4WD pulled up next to the sidewalk and Clark bounded out, leaving the vehicle running. Both Lois and Lana looked at Chloe as she continued trying to convince them of her health. She didn’t look fine. Her normally pale skin was pasty with a scattered pattern of bruises and tiny cuts still healing and her eyes were tired with purplish circles underneath them.

"Chloe, you _will_ be working; just in a different setting,” Lana said to Chloe. She, herself, wasn’t all gung-ho about the decision for Chloe to stay at the Farm. She could have served her sentence in Lois’ apartment above the Talon or in their shared dorm room at Met U. That was until she witnessed Chloe trying to sneak out of the hospital when all three of them left her unattended to check her out. Put under house arrest was what Chloe really needed. And Clark was the perfect candidate for warden. This ordeal had taken a lot out of Chloe, Lana could see and the Farm was the ideal place for her much needed rest and relaxation.

"Lana, I promise to be good! Let me come back to the dorm. _Please?”_ Chloe pleaded with Lana. Truth was, she dreaded going to the Farm and dreaded being alone with Clark. The two of them had yet to discuss the incident in her hospital room although she knew it was never far from Clark’s mind; just as it was never far from hers. And if Lois or Lana noticed how she and Clark were avoiding each other’s eyes neither one said anything.

"I’d love to have my room-mate back," Lana responded. "But I think Lois and Clark are right. It would be too tempting for you to resume your old routines. At least at the Farm Clark will be there if you need anything. You can get all the rest the doctors say you need." Lois pulled Chloe up short next to the SUV and locked the wheels.

"If I need all this rest, then what the hell was that two week long coma for?" Chloe huffed, pushing the hair out of her eyes in an impatient gesture.

"That was your body resting," Clark said as he met them at the SUV and opened the front passenger-side door. "Now it’s time for your mind to rest." Clark turned to the three girls, smiling sweetly.

"Yeah, whatever. I know you’re not thrilled to be put of baby-sitting detail, Clark, so don’t even try to play like this is your life’s ambition," Chloe snapped harshly, causing both Lois and Lana to look at Clark then back to Chloe and finally at each other.

"I’d watch yourself, Smallville. She seems to be cutting teeth. I’d hate to see her use your ass as a chew toy," Lois quipped with an arched brow with her hands on her hips. Clark smiled weakly. He knew he deserved that. Chloe started to stand.

"Here, let me help," Clark stepped forward, accidentally stepping on one of Chloe’s toes.

"OW!!" Chloe exclaimed as she swayed forward. Her legs were still a little weak although Chloe wouldn’t be the one to admit it. As her legs began to crumple beneath her weight Clark caught her around the waist, hauling her against his chest. Lana watched the split-second their eyes connected as Clark held Chloe in his arms. Her heart jumped into her throat. Chloe regained her balance quickly. She swallowed and removed her hands from Clark’s shoulders.

"Thanks, Clark," Chloe said half-heartedly. Clark turned, keeping one arm securely around Chloe’s slim waist.

"I’ll take the wheelchair back," Lana volunteered, wanting the time to collect her thoughts away from the others.

Lois observed closely as Lana rolled the chair back into the hospital, her eyes quizzical. She swung her gaze back to the other two. Clark was helping Chloe into the vehicle, holding her hand as she stepped up on the running board and into the maroon GMC. When she was inside, Clark settled a familiar hand on Chloe’s knee. Lois lifted another eyebrow, her ever expressive facial muscles showing her thoughts. It all seemed perfectly innocent but unless she was mistaken, there seemed to be an underlying tension between Clark and Chloe. Probably Lana as well judging how quickly she scampered off with that wheelchair. Chloe sat in the seat; rigid and staring ahead, her hands folded ladylike in her lap. Clark stood almost eye to eye with her; one hand braced on the head rest behind her, speaking softly into her ear. _Yep_ , Lois thought, _something has happened_. Chewing her bottom lip, she made a plan to drag it out of Chloe as soon as she had her cousin all to herself. She spied Lana coming back from the hospital and opened the back door.

"Let’s get this show on the road!" Lois cried, startling Clark into turning. He saw Lana heading toward them. Hurriedly shutting Chloe’s door, he went to meet her and walked her around the back of the GMC. Clark handed her into the backseat with Lois and then climbed in behind the wheel himself. The drive out to the Farm was a very quiet one. Lois tried to carry on a bubbly conversation but there was only so much she could do by herself. Clark sat in thoughtful silence; one hand on the wheel and the other on his thigh. Chloe slumped in her seat, her face resting on her hand as she stared blankly out the window; Lana mirrored her. Lois admitted defeat and sat back in her own seat, following her friends’ lead. So much for the fun filled weekend on the Farm, Lois growled in her head.

The evening proceeded much the same way. Martha Kent met them at the door and welcomed the four young adults into the house, making an extra fuss over Chloe. Soon all four women were in the kitchen; Chloe seated comfortably at the bar while Lana and Lois helped Martha prepare dinner. Clark, to no one’s surprise, retreated out into the sunny day, feigning farm chores that needed his attention. 

"Lois, would you go tell Clark dinner is ready?" Martha asked as she went over to look into the bowl Chloe was mashing potatoes in. Lois nodded and ducked outside.

As they ate dinner, Lois kept a sharp eye on Clark and Chloe, noticing how neither one of them spoke directly to one another. Her curiosity grew when she saw their hands go for the salt shaker at the same time. Clark’s hand brushed Chloe’s. Both withdrew like they’d been brunt. The rest of dinner was a slow process. Martha and Lois spoke infrequently, both trying to make up for the other threes’ quietness. Finally dinner was over and all around the table breathed a sigh of relief. Martha excused herself and headed upstairs to work on some proposals and other state business. Lois watched Clark beg off to go finish up some chores and Lana flounce after him into the night air. She saw her chance. Chloe had meandered into the family room. Lois went to join her where she sat on the comfy sofa staring into the fire Clark built earlier.

"Hey, cuz," Lois greeted cheerfully as she plopped down beside her. Chloe barely even glanced in her direction. "Do you want to talk?"

"No. I’ve had about all the talking I can stand," Chloe answered shortly. "Thanks, though," she amended softly.

Lois frowned in frustration. Bluntness. It was one of her greatest attributes and one of her biggest downfalls. She didn’t know which it would be tonight but she’d take the risk; it was worth it. “Yeah, because you talked everybody’s ear off tonight. You wanna tell me what happened between you and Clark or do we need to play twenty questions?” Chloe’s head snapped quickly to the side, eying Lois. Her face was pale and then flushed darkly. “Chloe? What happened?” Lois asked with more concern at her cousin’s response.

 "Nothing. Nothing happened. I don’t know what you’re talking about," Chloe stammered as she stared back at the flames.

"You may be able to sweet talk your way into file rooms and restricted areas, but your little innocence act doesn’t work on me. You and Clark have been avoiding each other all night and when he touched you," Lois paused for dramatic effect. "You acted as if a snake bit you! What stupid thing has the Fashion Reject done now?"

"Who said it was him?" Chloe shot back indignantly.

"Maybe because every time you start acting like this it usually means Clark has upset you in some way." Lois hurried on when Chloe opened her mouth, cutting off Chloe’s next remark. "Don’t give me that look, Chloe. Remember the summer you spent in Metropolis? Now, you might not want to admit it, but he messed you up pretty badly that time and you acted just like this for two weeks. Now spill."

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her face into her hands. Two hot tears escaped from between her lids and Chloe groaned. All she did now was cry! She took two slow breaths and raised her face. Lois sat patiently beside her.

"Clark kissed me in the hospital," Chloe revealed quietly. Lois sat back stunned.

"Kissed you as in…" Lois coached.

"As in lip on lip action, Lois."

"What did you do?"

"I kissed him back," Chloe whispered. "I know I shouldn’t have Lois, but I couldn’t help it," Chloe voice continued to gain strength. "Lana’s my best friend and I betrayed her! I am a horrible person! But when he kissed me, I couldn’t stop the feelings that bubbled up and before I knew it we were having a full-blown make-out session. _In my hospital bed!”_

"Chloe, look at me. _Look at me,”_ Lois ordered firmly, trying to get a grip on her panicking cousin. Lois grabbed one of Chloe’s hands and manually turned the girl to face her. “You are not a bad person. Clark participated in this as much as you did. In fact, he’s the one who betrayed Lana, not you. He initiated it.”

"But _I_ should have stopped it. I had just woken up and he was trying comfort me. Nothing’s changed, though. Maybe that’s what makes this such a mess. I’ve tried so hard to put my feelings for Clark behind me. But this just proves I’m no closer to being over him than I was back in high school. He’s with Lana and he’s meant to be with Lana. He’s loved her since they were diapers. I had my one chance with him and I blew it,” Chloe finished stoically.

"But what if things are changing?" Lois suggested. Crossing their legs Indian style on the couch, Lois and Chloe faced each other; like when they’d been little girls, eagerly sharing secrets. "Chloe, I saw him when you were out. For two days straight he didn’t move from that chair next to you. He didn’t change clothes; he didn’t shave; he didn’t shower. The boy stunk. Lana and I finally chased him out with a promise he’d come back clean cut and smelling like a baby’s butt. Clark was lost. Was anything said after-"

Chloe shook her head. “Nothing’s been said. Both of us have been avoiding each other like the plague. Clark said he wanted to talk but we haven’t been alone long enough to really talk about anything. That’s why I’m so uncomfortable of being here alone. Please, Lois. You have to take me back to the Talon with you. I can’t stay here. I’m not ready to have this conversation yet.”

"Well, if I even thought about taking you back with me before, you can bet I won’t now," Lois told Chloe vehemently. "You and Smallville need to talk this out. You need to talk to him about your feelings, about what happened, about him and Lana. There has to be more to that kiss than just shock, especially with the way you two have been acting today. Lana is getting suspicious, too, I think. She might have missed the salt shaker drama, but I can guarantee you that she noticed the way you made chop Sui out Clark earlier _and_ the little action outside the car. It was clear there was tension running around. _Sexual_ tension.”

"Lois!" Chloe exclaimed. She was just about tell Lois what she thought when the door in the kitchen slammed shut. Lana stormed into the room, her face flushed and it wasn’t from the wind.

"Lana, are you okay?" Lois asked.

"No, I’m not. I have a serious problem," Lana answered, looking straight at Chloe. Chloe shrank slightly back into the cushions of the couch, afraid Clark had said something to Lana without discussing it with her first.

"What’s wrong?" Lois inquired with a covert glance in Chloe’s direction. Lana removed her scarf, mittens and a winter jacket to ward off some of the remaining chills left in Kansas. Lois scooted down closer to Chloe to make room for Lana on the couch. She made herself comfortable on the couch, facing Lois and Chloe.

"This is serious, so please don’t laugh, _Lois_ ,” She said pointedly.

"It’s about Smallville," Lois surmised. "I’ll try to contain myself."

Lana took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. “Clark and I haven’t made love for months now. I can’t even remember when we last fooled around. And just now in the barn, when I tried to kiss him, he ducked away from me. So I asked him what his problem was. Did he not find me attractive anymore or was there something else bothering him.”

"Did he say anything?" Chloe ventured quietly.

"He said nothing. Said nothing was bothering him, just needed to get his chores done."

"Wow. It’s been that long since you two have… _Wow_ ,” Lois whispered again. She turned her head slightly toward Chloe. Chloe eyes shied from Lois and lowered to the floor.

"Chloe?" Lana bleated in soft desperation. Chloe raised her face to Lana, praying Lana wouldn’t read the anxiety swimming in her eyes. "Could you talk to him? I know I’m asking a lot," she hurried on. "But I know there are certain things he talks to you about. I may be his girlfriend, but you’ve been his best friend since you were kids. I’m afraid I may be losing him. I don’t know to what it is, but we’re not connecting like we use to. Please, Chloe. You don’t have to tell me what it is…just… I love him so much, Chloe."

Chloe gazed at Lana; her pleading face, her begging eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lois. The brunette’s face was arranged in a comical expression, her mouth in a tiny smirk. Chloe said the only thing she could think of.

"Of course, Lana. I’ll talk to him."


	18. Apprehension

Clark opened the door to a silent kitchen. He stepped inside and looked around. Dishes still sat in the sink but the overhead light was switched off. From the family room he heard the sound of girlish giggles, presumably from the women in his life. Clark debated between the two ideas of staying in the kitchen and washing the dishes as far away from the estrogen time bombs sitting twenty-some feet away from him; or heading straight into that room and not giving Lana another chance to corner him until he and Chloe had a chance to sort things out. Flipping the light switch, Clark shook the cold from his jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. He rolled up his sleeves and approached the sink.

      The sink filled with water and Clark picked up a plate and started to scrub. His mind began to wander, recalling the conversation he had with Pete the day after Chloe returned to the land of the waking. It was the first day in two and a half weeks that Clark hadn’t woke with a heaviness in his limbs.  Or his heart. Chloe was awake and from all the doctors’ opinions doing well. That morning Clark took his time doing chores at normal speed. He ran up to Edge City and grabbed Pete and the two of them traveled back to Metropolis and had breakfast with Chloe and Lois; Lois had brought in the Talon’s famous sugared bagels and tall Mocha lattes, one with two shots of espresso especially for Chloe.

      _"So, it was great the way you hyper-sped across seven counties to get me and all, but I, uh, know visiting Chloe wasn’t the only thing you planned today," Pete told a thoughtful Clark as the two of them sat in the bright sunlight out in Chandler’s Field. "I’m all ears, big guy." Pete gave a customary slap on Clark’s shoulder._

      _"You remember when you told me after all this was over, I would have a choice to make?" Clark reminded Pete, with no preamble. Pete removed his hand from Clark’s shoulder and looked at his best friend closely._

      _"Yeah," Pete said slowly. "You need to talk it out?" Clark nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. Clark swung his head back around to look out over the field. For ten minutes the two sat there, both waiting for what Clark would say next._

      _"I think you were right when you said if I examined my life without Lana in it, I would find what I was looking for. These past few days, Pete, without Chloe, I didn’t know what to do. I can imagine my life without Lana in it. I’ve done it before. But when I thought about days ahead, with no Chloe… I got scared," Clark finished simply._

      _"But Chloe’s awake. Are you sure this isn’t some rash decision? Don’t get me wrong Clark, I would love to see you and Chloe together, but I don’t want her to get hurt like last time," Pete told Clark truthfully. If Clark was seriously thinking about trying it with Chloe again, Pete was going to make it his mission to show Clark all he was going to lose. And all he was going to gain._

      _"Last time?" Clark questioned, his face showing confusion._

      _"Yeah, last time. When the three of us were out looking for your Dad after the tornado, I found her crying. She said the two of you decided to stay friends," Pete started._

_"Chloe was the one who wanted to stay friends, Pete. But I’ll admit I didn’t question her judgment. I wanted to, but I didn’t," Clark replied._

      _"I guess now is the time to make it up to her, Clark," Pete suggested to Clark._

The two boys talked for hours; until the sun was sinking into the horizon. When Clark returned home from dropping Pete off, he possessed a lightness in his step he hadn’t felt since he was mortal.

      Setting the last dish in the drain, Clark wiped his hands on a dish towel. He turned toward the family room and squaring his shoulders, walked in. The three girls sat and were chatting amicably until Clark stepped in. At the sight of him, the quiet laughter stopped and a chill laced the room. Three pairs of eyes fixated on him. A wide pair shaped like almonds, colored a warm brown and filled with sadness. The middle pair, a blue-gray, sharpened with daggers and finally a marble shaped hazel pair; regret swirling in their depths.

      Clearing his throat, Clark forced out, “Anyone want coffee?”

      "Actually, Lois and I were about to take off," Lana responded quickly as she stood, pulling Lois ungracefully with her. Chloe scrambled to her feet as well, shaking her head in protest.

      "Uh, yeah. A nice, warm espresso sounds like it would hit the spot and the Talon is the best place for that. Bye, cuz." She leaned to the side and kissed Chloe on the cheek and went to retrieve her own coat while Lana pulled on all her winter gear. Chloe grabbed Lois’ sleeve, but the shapely brunette untangled herself deftly as she ran into the kitchen. "See ya, Smallville!"

      "But I thought you two were staying the weekend?" Clark asked indifferently. He glanced over at Chloe who had sunk back down to the sofa.

      "Bye, Clark. I’ll see you next weekend, Chloe," Lana called out as she, too, breezed from the family room and departed out the kitchen door.

      An uncomfortable silence settled over the remaining two. Chloe pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, placing her chin on her arms and staring again into the fire. Clark watched her from his place by the mantle where he still stood. A few days ago, Clark would have lumbered over and collapsed next to her, close by with his arm on the back behind her. He felt now if he got too close she’d bolt like a frightened deer. And who could blame her? Clark complicated their easy relationship on so many levels but what he wanted most was to be close to her again. Not for one moment since Clark kissed Chloe, had he regretted his action. What he did regret was how even though he had been the one to kiss Chloe, she would be the one caught in the middle of him and Lana when they decided what to do. Because he had his answers now. Clark opened his mouth and heard these words.

      "Lana knows." The statement floated out of Chloe’s lips and to Clark’s ears.

      "What?" Clark said in disbelief as he met Chloe’s eyes.

      "Lana knows something is up with you," Chloe continued as she uncurled from her ball.  "She told Lois and I about the barn. She asked me, of all people, to talk to you. She’s afraid she’s losing you. She knows you don’t tell her things. Jump in anytime, Clark," Chloe clamored in her old accusatory tone. It was music to Clark’s ears.

      "What do you want me to say, Chloe?" Clark responded as he gave up his sentinel by the fireplace and made it to the couch in two long strides. To his relief Chloe didn’t scoot away from him. Clark laid his head against the back of the couch and rolled it towards her. She sat with her body tilted toward him, the firelight flickering on her shoulder length blonde hair. Shadows played across her face, obscuring some it from Clark’s view. "That I’ve started having real doubts about Lana and me? That I’m wondering if my feelings for her were ever real or something I made myself believe? It’s true, I am. I don’t think she’s the one I’m supposed to be with anymore."

      "You don’t mean that. Ever since I’ve known you, Lana has been all you ever wanted. If you hadn’t been so stubborn you two would have been together long before now," Chloe stated as she slapped a hand on Clark’s strong thigh.

      "Chloe, I could never-“

      "Don’t Clark," Chloe stopped him. "Don’t you even dare fall back on that lame excuse that you couldn’t really be yourself with Lana because she didn’t know your secret. That you can’t tell her your secret. Look at me, I know your secret and have I died yet? Have I been maimed or crippled in some horrible way?" Chloe paused. Clark shook his head.  "No, I haven’t. Look at Pete! Pete has known for years. How about him now? He’s fine! Sure, you two have had you issues but he still comes through for you every time. You’re not protecting _her_ , Clark. You’re protecting yourself. Look, I understand about your dad. It was horrible what happened, but this time, if you tell Lana, you just explain to her to be cautious,” Chloe ended on a softer note.

      "You’re right," Clark replied.

      "And furthermore- What?" Chloe stopped shortly.

      "I said you were right," Clark repeated, smiling at the flabbergasted look that graced Chloe’s face.

      "I’m sorry? Say that again." A radiant smile Clark hadn’t seen in weeks broke out over her face, eclipsing the circles under her eyes.

      "Chloe," Clark spoke as he sat up and moved closer to her. Clark felt Chloe pull back but ignored it. Before she had the chance to shy away, Clark took Chloe’s hands in his and held them tightly. "You are right. I wasn’t ever protecting Lana. That’s the excuse I used for not telling her. For the longest time, I didn’t want to get close to anyone because I felt to have a relationship with someone, you had to be totally and completely honest. You were right, but I was right, too. I can’t be with anyone unless I can tell them the whole truth about myself. But I never thought anyone would or could except me with my abilities. I was always afraid the secret would burden them, like it did with Pete when we were sixteen. And I wasn’t willing to risk it either. I wasn’t willing to put myself out there, to face rejection or fear or even disgust. To risk being hurt."

      "Clark, what are you saying?" Chloe asked quietly, searching Clark’s eyes. She was sure he wasn’t talking about him and Lana anymore.

      "Chloe, when we-"

      "Clark?" Martha Kent called out.

      Clark and Chloe held their breath for a couple of seconds before Clark called back, “In here, Mom!”

      "Hi, you guys! Where are Lois and Lana?" Martha asked when she only saw her son and Chloe sitting quite close on the sofa. Subtlety the two moved apart.

      "They decided to give Chloe her rest and go home early," Clark told his mother.

      "Oh, okay. Well, it was getting kind of late and I didn’t know when you were going to bed, Chloe, but I went ahead and changed the sheets on Clark’s bed for you," Martha told her kindly.

      "Oh, no, no, no." Chloe shook her head adamantly as she stood to her feet. "Mrs. Kent, I am perfectly fine camped out here on the couch."

      "Well, I’m not," Clark countered as he stepped up beside her. "Because I’ll be camped out here on the couch as well. It might get a little crowded." A roguish grin crossed his face. Martha couldn’t help but notice the way Clark and Chloe’s eyes caught and held with so many unspoken emotions and then skittered away, Chloe’s coming back to meet her own.

      "Chloe, if you don’t want Clark’s room them you’re more than welcome to mine," Martha offered, very aware of the tension spiraling out from the couple.

      "No! Mrs. Kent, no! It’s just that I don’t want to displace any of you. I am going to be here for a full month, so I am told. I don’t want to be an inconvenience to any of you," Chloe pleaded as she looked from Martha to Clark. Martha came around the couch and put a motherly arm around Chloe’s slim shoulders.

      "Chloe, you’re like one of my own. Just like Lois was when she lived here. Still is like a daughter to me, even now. I am going to bed myself and you _will_ be taking Clark’s room tonight.” She kissed Chloe’s cheek as she squeezed the girl’s shoulders. Martha turned to Clark and communicated with her eyes that Clark was to make sure Chloe went to her appointed bedroom for the night. Kissing Clark on the cheek, too, she said, “I’ll see you two in the morning. Don’t stay up too late now.” And she disappeared again up the stairs.

      "Come on, you look tired." Clark reached out and took Chloe’s hand in his. He felt Chloe stiffen and bent his head down to look at her.

      "I can’t sleep in that bed, Clark," she told him meekly.

      "Chloe, if this is about what happened in the hospital, I promise I-"

      "No, Clark. That is not what this is about," Chloe assured with a soft smile. "Lead the way, Sir Knight," she told him playfully as her hand relaxed in Clark’s. He led her up the stairs and into his room.

      Chloe had been in Clark’s red, white and blue room many times, but she never slept in his bed. Even with all her girlish fantasies it was too weird for words! The room held all his memories of childhood and high school and of Jonathon. As usual, she always felt she was trespassing on very private territory. The loft was an extension of himself, but this seemed to be where he kept his truly precious things; his secret and unsaid things. Posters of the Metropolis Sharks lined his walls and pictures cluttered the top of almost all his bedroom furniture. By his bed was a picture of Lana, the background and sunlight matching the photograph of Clark Lana kept. And on his dresser, was a picture of Chloe.

      "See," Clark broke into her thoughts. "Lois already brought all your things up here and got you settled." Clark looked around with a bemused expressions as Chloe’s things were scattered around his room. He realized not a thing of Lana’s resided in this space but Chloe would now use his dresser, his closet and his bed. Chloe sat down on the mattress and looked up at him.

      "Are you sure you want to play the seventh dwarf? I really don’t mind the couch," Chloe tried one more time.

      "You’re staying here and that is final. Now, the bathroom. The door doesn’t lock. Dad was going to fix it, but never got around to it and I’m the only one who uses it now so it didn’t seem necessary. The door is always open unless I’m in it so just close the door and I’ll know you’re in there. If you want, you can use Mom’s. It has a lock on it. You know the layout and where to find everything else so…That’s about it. I’m going to jump in the shower and then it’s all yours."

      "Sounds like a plan," Chloe replied with a smile as Clark left the room and shut the door.

      "Chloe?" Clark stuck his head back inside. "I cleaned out the first and second drawer of the dresser for you. Just in case you needed them."

      "Thanks, Clark." _And there is the devastating smile again_ , Chloe groaned. The door closed again and Chloe crawled over the bed to the other side and unzipped her duffel bag. Inside she found a bundle of clothes shoved inside. She rolled her eyes.

      "You’d have thought growing up an ever-moving army brat, Lois would know how to pack!" Chloe growled as she started untangling and separating. When she unpacked it all, she surveyed the contents. Some things were still on hangers and Chloe got a mental image of Lois walking into her closet and grabbing everything to stuff it in a bag.

      _“Lois!”_ Chloe whispered again in frustration when she realized that although Lois packed clothes in abundance, she neglected to send any undergarments. Or pajamas. Chloe ripped her phone out of her back pocket and hit the ‘3’ key, speed dialing her cousin.

      "Hello?" Lois answered.

      "Did you forget anything?" Chloe asked sweetly.

      "Chloe? No, I don’t think so," Lois replied.

      "Really? Because I have no underwear and or pajamas. I have nothing to sleep in tonight!" In the back of her mind, Chloe knew she was overreacting but who could blame her?! This was uncharted territory for her and she didn’t have her compass.

      "What did you sleep in at the hospital?"        

      "The hospital gown. For some odd reason the staff had something against me wearing my own clothes," Chloe snapped.

      "Sorry," Lois bit her lip in that sideways smile, Chloe could picture it clearly in her mind. "You want me to run something out to you?"

      "No, Lois. It’s too late. I’ll just make due. Thanks, anyway."

      "Just borrow something from Smallville. I’m sure he’s got an orange shirt running around there he’s dying to get rid of," Lois dead-panned.

      "Lois, after what I told you tonight, do you realize how much my friendship with him has changed? I know I’m overreacting but I _do not_ want to wear his clothes and I _do not_ want to sleep in his bed!” Chloe exclaimed.

      "Awkward, huh?" Lois asked.

      "You can say that again. It’s colored everything. Things that used to be simple no longer are," Chloe said as she sat down on the bed again, pulling her legs up under her.

      "Like what?"

      "Like the bathroom. The door doesn’t lock! What if I accidentally walk on in him or he walks in on me?" Chloe told her.

      "Easy. Just use Mrs. Kent’s bathroom," Lois ordered her. "That’s what I did. Clark gets a little upset when you walk in on him showering."

      "Lois, I don’t even want to know when you did that," Chloe tried to derail the subject she knew was on the tracks. She rubbed her temples with one hand stretched across her forehead.

      "Why? Don’t you want to know what certain things look like?" Lois quipped mischievously.

      "Goodnight, Lois," Chloe said, ending the conversation.

      "Come on, Chloe. I can tell you size, shape-"

      _“Goodnight, Lois!”_

      "Fine, be a party pooper. But I can tell you this. He’s very, very-"

      "Chloe?" Clark called through the door.

      "Yes?!" Chloe answered, drowning out what Lois said.

      "Can I come in?" He asked.

      "Of course!" Chloe jumped off the bed like she’d been caught doing something naughty. "Goodbye, Lois," she said as the door opened. She could hear Lois talking hurriedly on the other end as she snapped the phone shut. Clark walked in and Chloe turned her back on him and began folding clothes.

      "Who were you talking to?" Clark asked absently.

      "Lois. She… um… she… uh… was calling to check on me. Making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.”

      Clark raised an eyebrow at her. It wasn’t often that Chloe Sullivan found herself tongue-tied. “You okay?”

      "I’m fine. Why would you ask?" She responded, her voice a higher octave than normal. Clark decided not to press her.

      "Okay. I just needed to come in and get some pajamas. I forgot to grab them when I left."

      "Yeah, sure, Clark." She saw him cross to the dresser and rummage through the middle drawer, coming out with a pair of loose plaid pants and to Chloe’s horror, an orange shirt.

      "She forget anything?" Clark asked.

      "What?" Chloe asked as she raised her head. Chloe’s mouth went dry and she could do nothing but stare. Clark stood before her fresh out of the shower; water still dripping from his black hair. She could tell he had thrown the robe on as an afterthought. It was tied loosely at the waist and flapping open at his bare chest, the lapels framing the lines of his perfect muscles. His dark blue bath towel was draped on his hips; an inch hanging down below the hem of his blue plaid robe, ending just below his knees.

      "She forget anything?" Clark repeated. Tension filled the room and Clark fought hard to ignore it. He watched as Chloe forced her eyes down to the floor and then shut them as she raised her face. Chloe opened them and looked at Clark. He would have laughed had it not been for the brutal honesty flooding her eyes.

      "Clark," she began, a bit unsteadily. "We are both adults now. Speaking from my experience in the hospital with you, it can be implied that I find you very attractive. You’re my best friend, but that doesn’t mean that you become any less of a man in my eyes. You’re good-looking and have what can only be called a Greek God-like body. Until we know where we stand with each other again, I must ask you to refrain from walking around uncovered while I am here. It is not only disconcerting but it’s too nice _not_ to look and it’s not fair that the whole female population doesn’t get a gander at that form. Now, Lois did forget some of my essentials which means I need to borrow something to sleep in tonight,” Chloe finished with a curt little nod. She was met with a wild whoop of laughter as Clark doubled over, clutching his sides. At his obvious merriment, the absurdity of Chloe’s monologue spread over her and she, too, began to giggle. They laughed together for several moments, until all tension vanished.

      "Yeah, I have something that might fit you," Clark said between spurts of laughter.

      "I doubt it. Remember Clark, I’m a regular sized person. Your biological parents were part giant." Clark turned and dug around in the drawer again and came out with a pair of soft gray drawstring pants and his old football practice jersey.

      "Here." Clark tossed them to her. "These should do you until you get some clothes of your own."

      "Thanks," Chloe dropped them on the bed and smiled up at Clark. "If you can’t find me tomorrow, you’ll know your clothes swallowed me."

      Clark opened his arms and to his delight Chloe came without hesitation, returning his hug.

      "You know I think you’re attractive, too, right?" Clark stated softly. Chloe snorted against his chest.

      "Let’s not mention that conversation to anyone ever again," Chloe replied.

      "Just file it back with your old cheer-leading days?" Clark joked.

      "Exactly," Chloe laughed.

      "Done," Clark said as he pulled back and kissed Chloe on the forehead. "Goodnight, Chloe."

      "Goodnight, Clark. Thanks for everything."

      "It’s nothing. What are friends for?" He asked as he stood with one hand on the doorknob. "See ya in the morning."

      The door closed with a click. Chloe turned back to the room. She quickly undressed and then put on the clothes Clark gave her. The pants pooled at her ankles and his jersey ended at knee level. She opened the door and crossed the hall to the bathroom. It was dark down the stairs and Chloe could barely make out Clark’s feet resting on the arm of the couch. She washed her face and brushed her teeth, reveling in the normalcy of her actions in the silence of the house.

      Back in the bedroom, she pulled the thick quilt and light blue sheets back and climbed in. After making herself comfortable, she reached over and turned off the lamp. Chloe lay in the darkness, uneasy and drained, waiting and dreading the sleep that may or may not come. She looked over to her side and watched the clock move from midnight to one in the morning. The blanket of sleep finally started to descend and her last conscious thought was wondering if it would come again tonight.

 


	19. Specter

Her breath quickened as she walked down the dark hallway toward the hazy light at the end. She could feel someone behind her, following her, stalking her. She could feel it between her shoulder blades like a drop of sweat rolling down her back. She turned and looked but all she saw was the darkness lurking behind her. Facing forward again, she continued. She knew if she could only get to the light she’d be safe. The only problem was the closer she got to it, the light always seemed to move just beyond her reach. She stopped in the middle of the hallway. It was useless to try and go to the light. How many nights had she been here? She knew what would happen next. She would get to the warm, yellow light and then it would fade away. She’d turn back and there he would be, standing there with his murderous needle and his demonic smile. She would scream and scream but nothing would save her. She turned to face him, a woman resigned to her black fate. He was there, like always. Except this time, someone else was there, too.

"No…" Chloe whispered. The mad doctor was sticking his needle deep into Clark Kent’s neck. The big form of her best friend was limp as Carter Hogan pumped the never-ending green solution into his veins; his sculpted face contorted in pain.

"Stop! You must stop! You’ll kill him!" Chloe cried. She ran at the man but he slapped her away like a fly. Chloe landed in a broken heap on the floor.

"You should have stayed where you were," Hogan sneered. "This would have never have happened if you had stayed with me." His voice crawled along her skin, sending chills to her toes.

"What do you want? I’ll do anything, just stop hurting him!" Chloe exclaimed as she regained her feet.

"Why? Why would you do that for him? He doesn’t love you." Hogan’s voice filled the hall, washing over Chloe in a powerful whisper.

"But I love him. Please, stop. Leave him alone. Take me!" Chloe dropped to her knees, her arms outstretched, offering herself.

"He seems like a much more interesting subject. Why is that?"

"I don’t know," Chloe whispered weakly, her bottom lip quivering.

"Yes, you do. What is he hiding? What are you hiding for him?" Hogan questioned, a deadly glint in his eye.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. He’s nothing," Chloe assured the man.

"I don’t believe you. He is something special."

"No he’s not," Chloe repeated vehemently. "He’s just Clark Kent."

"The man you love."

"Yes… Yes he is. I love him. Please, I’m begging you," Chloe choked through her tears.

"No, I think I’ll kill him," Hogan told her calmly.

"NO! You can’t do that! Take me!" She screamed as the man plunged the needle deeper into Clark’s neck, causing him to let out a shout of pain. "Why won’t you take me?!"

"Why you? Why not him? This man who abandoned you? Ignored you? Treated you carelessly? _Why?!_ " The man shouted with a force that made Chloe tremble.

"Because I love him!" Chloe screamed back, surprising herself with the intensity of her feelings. "Because he’s going to do even more amazing things than I ver could! _Extraordinary things that you can’t even dream of!_ ”

"Well then, in that case…" He removed the needle slowly. Chloe began to breathe again. "He’ll just have to die faster."

“ _No_!” The needle was thrust back into the thick column of Clark’s throat. His eyes opened wide as he began to choke on blood seeping out of his mouth.

“ _Clark! Clark! Clark!_ " Chloe screamed over and over. Something gripped her shoulders and began to pull her away.

“ _No! I can’t leave him! Clark!_ ”

"Chloe! Chloe! _Chloe!_ _Wake up!_ " Suddenly Chloe was being hurtled in the air. She opened her eyes. Looking wildly around, Chloe found she was in Clark’s room, in his bed, tangled in sheets and blankets. The hall light flooded the room through the open doorway. Chloe was flat on her back and looked into the frightened eyes of Clark, who was leaning over her, shaking her violently out of her nightmare. Mrs. Kent came running in and her face joined Clark’s in Chloe’s line of sight.

"Chloe? Sweetie, are you all right?" Martha asked with concern, taking in Chloe’s sweaty hair and flushed face.

"I’m fine. Just a dream. That’s all," Chloe gasped as she pushed Clark away and sat up, putting her back against the sturdy headboard and sucking in lung filling breaths of air.

"Sounded more like a nightmare," Clark commented as he lowered himself down onto the side of the bed, a strong arm on the other side of her legs as he leaned toward her.

"I’m going to run down and get you a glass of water," Martha said. She was gone in a swish of robe before Chloe could refuse. Clark moved up closer to Chloe, putting a large hand on her knee.

"Chloe, what was that?" Clark asked again.

"It was just a dream, Clark. Nothing more. People from this planet have dreams; sub-conscious manifestations of our Freudian desires," she snapped at him.

"Don’t do that, Chloe. I know it was a nightmare. You started screaming bloody murder. And you continued to scream until I finally shook you so hard you teeth rattled."

"Here you go. Drink this." Martha handed the glass to Chloe, watching her small hand tremble as it grasped the glass. Chloe took a long sip.

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent. I’m sorry I woke you. I’m fine now, I promise," Chloe smiled weakly at Martha Kent.

"It’s okay." Martha put her hand on Chloe’s shoulder. "I’m going back to bed. Goodnight, kids." She gave out kisses again and walked away down the hall to her room. Clark turned back to Chloe.

"We’re not done yet, are we?" Chloe asked quietly as she set the glass on the nightstand next to the bed. Clark took in the jewelry and the bottle of lotion that had taken up residence there. His heart did a funny leap. He looked back at Chloe.

"No, we’re not. Why were you screaming my name? What was going on?" Clark questioned Chloe as she looked up at the ceiling, tears filling her eyes.

"Gosh," She groaned as she wiped them away. "It seems all I have been doing lately is crying!" Chloe settled her hands back in her lap. She looked back up at him, biting her bottom lip as a tear ran down her cheek.

"I’ve been having this nightmare since I first woke up in the hospital. Before it was always just me running down a long hall toward this light but never reaching it. When I finally get tired I stop and turn and there he is. I’ve been dreading falling asleep for the past couple of nights because I know he’s waiting in my dreams. Tonight was the same, except this time it was different," Chloe took a breath. "When I turned around, you were there and he was feeding you that kryptonite needle."

Clark took Chloe’s small hand in his and with his newfound patience, he waited for her to continue on.

"We argued and then he killed you," Chloe paraphrased, the pain in her eyes almost too much to bear. "Then I was being pulled away but I didn’t want to leave you, Clark. Not dying in the middle of that hallway." Chloe’s soft voice broke and for the fifth night in a row, the sobs she cried hurt her ribs. But this time, she wasn’t alone. Clark gently pulled her to him, cradling her like a child in his arms. Too exhausted to care or think of the reasons why this was a bad idea Chloe snuggled up to her favorite spot on Clark’s chest; near his strong heart beat soothing her frazzled nerves.

"I guess I always thought you were invincible. But seeing you lying there on that concrete floor in the warehouse reminded me that there are things out there that can hurt you," Chloe continued on, talking out all the rambled thoughts in her head. Thoughts she’d always been on the verge of speaking. "You’re not invincible. You’re not unbreakable. And as much as I would like to pretend you are, I know you’re not. No matter how many tons you can lift or how high you can jump. I’d be lost without you, Clark. I never want to know what it’s like to not have you in my life."

Clark laid his cheek against Chloe’s soft blonde hair and inhaled her spicy scent. Nothing else would suit her. His mom always smelt like roses and fresh laundry. Lana had a musky vanilla scent that was heavy in his nostrils. Chloe smelt like life and heat; light yet powerful.

"I can’t tell you that I’ll always be here. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my life, it’s that you never know what may happen next; what lucky or unlucky coincidence will present itself in your path. What I _can_ tell you, Chloe Sullivan, is that no matter what, I will try to be there for you. Like you’ve been there for me all these years,” Clark said as he laid a sweet kiss on the top of her head.

The two sat quietly for a while until Chloe began to doze off. Carefully Clark shifted Chloe to the side so he could rise from the bed.

"Clark?" He heard a sleepy whisper.

"Hey, I didn’t mean to wake you," Clark whispered back as he looked down on her. "I’m going back downstairs." He brushed the hair away from her face in a parting gesture. Chloe began to sit up.

"Clark?" Chloe called out, her voice a tender wisp.

"Yeah?" He said from the doorway. Chloe looked down at her hands and then back at him. His jersey engulfed her and one side of the neck fell off her shoulder revealing her smooth skin. She gazed back at him, some of her blonde hair hiding one eye. Clark felt a hitch in his pulse rate.

"Would you mind staying? Just for tonight?" Chloe asked innocently.

"Chloe, I-"

"I’ll keep my hands to myself. Promise." Chloe held up both hands in surrender.

"It’s not you I don’t trust, Chloe. I’m in the same boat you’re in. We don’t know where we stand with each other and it’s too late right now to have that discussion. But I’ll stay if you really want me to," Clark replied with feeling.

"I do. I do want you to stay. I want to feel safe. I need to feel safe. And I find safety with you," Chloe said simply.

"Then I’ll stay," Clark said. After turning the lights off, he climbed timidly back into his own bed. Clark’s back was to the door and Chloe snuggled to his side, holding his hand across her stomach. Clark curved his body around Chloe’s, feeling a peace settling upon him with her slender form next to him.

Chloe began to drift soon. She forced herself not to fight slumber. With the strength of her best friend’s arms around her and the knowledge he would be there throughout the night in case trouble broke, Chloe finally let herself fall into the magical realm of REM cycles.


	20. Inklings

Martha’s inner alarm roused her within minutes of her five A.M. alarm. She sat up in bed and stretched. With a sad smile she placed her hand on the vacant side of the bed, longing for the warmth that used to remain after Jonathon rose. Martha allowed herself a few more moments of nostalgia before she pulled herself from the comfort of her blankets and dressed for the day. In jeans, boots and one old shirt of Jonathon’s she hadn’t given to the homeless shelter, she made her way into the hallway and started for the kitchen.

Out of habit, Martha glanced inside her son’s room as she went by. Not registering what she saw, Martha retraced her steps as quietly as she could and came to stand in the doorway.  The light she’d switched on in the hallway bathed the room in a soft yellow glow. She remembered Chloe slept in this room last night and was now surprised to find her son here and not on the couch where she expected. Part of Martha, the mother part, was very upset to find her baby boy in bed with a girl even if it was Chloe and totally innocent. The woman part of her heart lurched.  The way her son was holding Chloe was the way Jonathon had held her every night of their life together.

She heard Clark’s deep breathing and knew he was sound asleep. For the first time in months her son had slept through the night. Martha backed away, not having the heart to disturb the sleeping couple. She returned to the kitchen and left through the back door, heading to the barn. Some good manual labor ought to put her memories of her husband away for at least a little while.

The sky began to lighten as the sun slowly made an appearance and still Clark laid, Chloe wrapped in his arms. It wasn’t until a beam of light hit his eyelid that it began to penetrate his subconscious. He began to wake, little by little. Opening his eyes, Clark was surprised to see strong shafts of sunlight coming through his window.

A mussed blonde head moved to his left and Clark sharpened his hearing. Below Chloe’s soft breaths, he heard his mom’s off-key humming as she drove the tractor. Clark couldn’t believe she hadn’t woken him.

Deciding he had slept in enough for about a week, he began to disengage himself from Chloe. A blush spread across his face when he realized during the course of the night he had stuck a knee between Chloe’s thighs and a hand wandered dangerously close to her breasts. But the more he moved, the more she woke. When he was almost free, she turned over. Her sleepy eyes regarded him for a moment.

"Good morning," Chloe greeted huskily while arching her back like a cat. "What time is it?"

"Time for me to get up and you to go back to sleep," Clark whispered.

Chloe smiled as she closed her eyes again and nuzzled down into the warm pillows and blankets he’d just left. Within seconds Chloe fell back asleep and Clark stood there, gazing down at her.

When she was awake, Chloe was going constantly. She was here and she was there, doing this, doing that. Walking, talking and typing at all times. She was a little jumble of motion and probably the only mortal who moved faster than he did. Asleep, she was still. The only motion was her chest moving in and out. She looked temptingly innocent with her hair curled sweetly at her throat and her softly parted lips. It also didn’t help that she looked so small in his football jersey, the red bringing out the blush of her cheeks. The blood rushed in his ears as he remembered the last time Chloe had been clad in his jersey. _Only_ his jersey. He wondered if her feelings would be the same if she hadn’t been dosed with Love Potion #9. He would find out soon enough. Until then … Clark grabbed some clothes and in a nanosecond found himself in the barn.

Chloe awoke a few hours later. She still felt extremely mentally exhausted but physically she was fine. Chloe sat up, the powder blue sheets pooling at her waist. The nightmare, Clark holding her through the night, her first night of peaceful sleep since she’d been abducted, filled her mind. Swinging her legs off the bed she placed her feet on the cold hardwood floor and staggered out of the room with a yawn. Her nose caught the scent of coffee and she forewent the bathroom to follow the path down to the kitchen.

Mrs. Kent stood before the stove with a heaping plate of eggs beside her and a bowl full of pancake batter in her hand. Not wanting to get caught in Clark’s clothes/her pajamas, Chloe hit the rewind button and tried to back up the stairs.

"Good morning, Chloe!" Martha said brightly as she turned from the stove. Chloe smiled shyly back at her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kent," Chloe muttered.

"Did you sleep any better after your nightmare last night?" Martha asked as she poured a mug of coffee for Chloe and set it before her on the counter.

"Yeah, I did. I’m really sorry I woke you," Chloe apologized, taking a seat on a barstool and reached for the coffee.

"Don’t worry about it," Martha replied as she returned to the breakfast. "Clark had his fair share of nightmares, too."

 ”When he was younger, yeah,” Chloe countered. “Yum … ” Chloe murmured as she sipped the coffee.

"No, he had one just this past week. Something about a vessel or … Well, here," Martha trailed off, setting a plate down in front of Chloe who dug into the eggs like a starving person.

"Oh, this is _so_ much better than hospital food!” Chloe exclaimed between mouthfuls.

"Hey, slow down, champ. Save some for me!" Clark laughed as he grabbed the stool beside Chloe. She smiled at him shyly, as well. When Chloe asked him to hold her last night, she was afraid and lonely. In the light of day, it seemed a little too personal. Clark greeted his mother as she set his plate in front of him and then joined the two kids with her own. Talk soon turned to the activities of the day and Martha’s trip to Topeka.

"I’ll be leaving today and be gone for a week. Do you think you can keep this place up without me?" Martha teased Clark.

"Oh, I’m sure I can handle it," Clark replied with his signature grin. "Besides, Chloe will be here to fill your shoes."

"Hold on, big boy. I don’t do breakfast, I don’t do lunch. I don’t do dinner and I definitely don’t do bedtime stories," Chloe taunted in a singsong voice.

"Then what do you do?" Clark asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"Coffee?" Chloe giggled as she held up her steaming mug of java. Clark elbowed her playfully and turned back to his mom.

"I guess there’ll be a lot of pizza boxes when you get back," Clark told his mother.

"Nice try, young man. I’ve already made some casseroles and spaghetti. You _do_ do microwaves?” Martha directed at Chloe.

"Oh, yes, I definitely do microwaves," Chloe answered with a big smile.

"It’s settled then. Chloe will cook and she’ll clean," Clark stated with a gulp of orange juice.

"Hey! That’s not how it goes! I think it’s, if _I_ cook, then _you_ clean.” Chloe poked a finger at his hard chest. The combination of his muscle and devastating smile he was casting her caused Chloe’s heart to race. She smiled meekly and turned back to her plate.

"We’ll be fine, Mom," Clark assured his mother. Breakfast was finished at a slow pace, Martha enjoying the way Clark and Chloe bantered back and forth. She could tell the two had no secrets and it warmed her heart to see her son so at peace with another human being; especially a woman who seemed to care so deeply for her family.

Clark went back out to resume his chores while Chloe helped Martha wash the dishes.

"I have to be honest with you, Chloe. I was a little worried about this trip to Topeka so soon after Jonathon’s death," Martha told Chloe as she handed Chloe a dish to dry.

"Why, Mrs. Kent?" Chloe asked.

"I didn’t want to leave Clark alone. I know he’s supposedly a man of steel but … " Martha trailed off.

"I understand, Mrs. Kent. Mr. Kent’s death hit us all hard. After I learned Clark’s secret, you and Mr. Kent became like foster parents to me. I can’t imagine what Clark must be feeling," Chloe responded sadly. "I remember when my mom left. I didn’t want my dad out of my sight. I was so afraid he’d leave, too."

"I’m glad you’ll be here with him." Martha dried her hands on a towel and put a hand on one of Chloe’s shoulders in a motherly gesture. "When Jonathon died … I really didn’t know if I could keep this secret by myself. It’s good to know you’re here."

Chloe dried the last dish and folded the towel. She turned to face Martha. “Thanks, Mrs. Kent. I’m glad to do anything I can. Clark has been there more times for me than I can count. The least I can do is return the favor,” Chloe finished with a shrug.

Martha reached over and pulled Chloe to her suddenly. She hugged the younger woman fiercely.

"Almost losing you really frightened him," Martha told her upon pulling back. "There are only three people Clark can completely be himself with and one of them is gone. The possibility of him losing another one … "

"It must be such a burden for him," Chloe said quietly. She glanced out the window and saw Clark loading the back of his truck with hay.

"Looks like he’s about to go feed the cows. I’m sure he would love to have you go with him," Martha suggested.

"I would love to, but Lois wasn’t exactly Miss Manners when she packed for me," Chloe replied.

"No problem. There are some old work shirts of Clark’s when he was a bit younger that should fit you in the back of his closet. I’ll go tell Clark your coming with him." Martha headed out of the kitchen door as Chloe headed upstairs.

In Clark’s room, Chloe riffled through Clark’s shirts to the back where some smaller shirts hung. She grabbed one and tossed it on the bed. She stripped out of the jersey and pants. Putting on a bra and her own jeans, she next tugged on a yellow flannel shirt. It slid along her skin softly and she could tell it have been worn many times. A knock sounded on the door and Martha opened the door a fraction.

"I have some old boots for you to wear." Martha held up a pair of worn out cowboy boots.

"Thanks!" Chloe slumped down on the bed and pulled on socks followed by the boots.

"How do they fit?" Martha asked as she leaned in the doorway.

Chloe stood, testing them. “Good. How do I look?” She struck a pose and made Martha laugh.

"Like you’re ready for your first day on a farm," Martha told her warmly.

"Perfect!" Chloe exclaimed. Martha took Chloe’s arm and they walked downstairs together.

"Have a good time in Topeka!" Chloe called out as Martha sent her out the door to Clark, waving at the two before she shut the kitchen door.

Clark finished loading the hay and jumped down from the bed. He watched Chloe take off at a run and then slow to a walk as she came to stand before him, her smiling face tilted up. Her short hair was pulled back in a teeny ponytail, her bangs swept to the side and tucked behind an ear. A small blue barrette helped keep the strands in place. His mouth went slightly dry as he realized she was wearing an old work shirt of his. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows and the short hung right above her hips.

"So, Old McDonald, do I look farmer ready?" She asked.

"Darn. I was looking forward to you wearing that little blazer I saw last night to help me feed the cows," Clark teased her.

"Blame your mother. What do you want me to do?" Chloe asked in a businesslike tone as she placed her hands on her hips.

"You’re going to drive while I throw out the hay. Sound like a plan?" Clark said as he clapped his hands together.

"Sure," Chloe clambered behind the wheel while Clark got in the passenger side seat. He directed her to the back acres of the farm.

"Stop here," Clark directed her. "I’m getting in the back. After this, just drive in a straight line while I throw the hay out."

"Got it." Chloe waited until Clark was standing in the bed of the truck and pressed the accelerator in slowly. For the first five or ten minutes all went smoothly as Clark tossed the bales of hay over and the cows trudged slowly up the stalks.

"Hey, Chlo!" Clark yelled. "Take a right and go over by the tank! This isn’t all of our herd!"

Chloe turned the wheel slowly, guiding the truck in a wide arc and heading for the water tank. She crested one of the hills and below was the tank.  Scattered around it was a thirty or more head of cattle. Clark shouted to Chloe, telling her to go on down. Chloe did as she was told. Keeping the speed at thirty miles, she drove toward the man-made lake. The cows mooed and stamped their feet. She looked to the side at the tank and back again. Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe saw a calf make a run for it. Chloe screamed and jerked the wheel to the right to miss the little thing and slammed on the brakes. Clark lost his footing and the force of the stop sent Clark careening over the cab of the vehicle and into the tank. Chloe watched in horror as a big spray went up where Clark had sailed into the water. Even though she knew he would be unharmed, she scrambled out of the truck. The calf that caused the accident scampered along beside her.

"Clark!" Chloe cried as she ran to the edge of the water. She watched air bubbles float to the top and broke the surface. "Clark!" Chloe was about to dive in when his black head emerged. He gasped for breath and then began to tread water, his arms working to keep him afloat. He looked out at her, a stunned expression on his handsome face. Chloe giggled. Clark focused on her and his gaze hardened. Chloe covered her mouth with both hands as laughter broke out, full and boisterous.

"You think this is funny?" Clark demanded from out in the middle of the tank. He began to swim at a normal pace toward the shore. Chloe took a couple of steps back and tripped slightly over the calf that seemed to have attached itself to her.

"No," Chloe answered with another giggle. Clark finally found footing and started sloshing up the shore. Chloe moved quickly to the other side of the hood, watching Clark walk out of the water.

A dangerous sheen was in his eyes which should have quelled Chloe’s merry laughter. However, all it did was spur it on. Clark, bearing a shocking resemblance to Shelby, shook the water from his body and then looked around for Chloe who had disappeared from his sight. He found her; standing on the other side of the truck, the wayward calf that caused the mishap stood beside her, licking her hand. Clark pulled his severest scowl and plodded in her direction.

"No!" Chloe yelped as she watched him, reading Clark’s intent on his face. She knew, without a doubt, she was about to meet the same fate. She ran to other end of the truck, causing Clark to switch directions. For a few moments, the two played cat and mouse, both knowing Clark could easily catch her whenever he wanted but enjoying the game nonetheless. They finally found themselves facing each other over the hood of the truck once more.

Clark shrugged out of the red shirt he’d put on over a white tee before leaving the house and dropped it to the ground. It landed with a heavy thud. Chloe’s eyes widened once more as she came face to face again with Clark’s magnificent body, all within a twenty-four-hour period.

Feeling herself go hot, Chloe would welcome the coolness of the water when, not _if_ , Clark threw her in.

"You know you’re going to pay for that," Clark told her menacingly as he crossed his arms over his massive chest.

"Clark-“ giggle “-you know I didn’t mean to-“ giggle. “I am so-“ giggle” -sorry." Another giggle escaped as she pictured the way Clark flew through the air and into the water.

"Yeah, I can tell. Now, come here," Clark ordered, pointing with a finger to the spot right in front of him.

"Not by the hairs on my chinny-chin-chin," Chloe teased as she poised to make a run up the hill.

"Chloe … " Clark warned. "You know I can catch you."

"But you haven’t yet." Chloe spun and hit Clark’s chest.

"Cheater," she whispered.

"You made me," Clark said smugly. In a flash, Clark grasped Chloe’s waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Clark!! Put me down!!" Chloe was resigned to her fate but she raged against Clark, pummeling his back with her fists to no avail. She kicked her legs only to have them imprisoned by his other arm. Clark carried Chloe to the edge of the water and then waded into the tank until it reached his knees. He was beginning to regret his decision of throwing Chloe cave-man-style over his right shoulder. Her front was pressed against his back and her round derrière was close to his face and holding her legs still against him put his hand along the backs of her shapely thighs. None too gently, Clark tossed Chloe into the water, her feminine scream echoing around him. She landed a few feet out and came up sputtering.

"Clark!" She hit the water with her hands. "I can’t _believe_ you did that!” Chloe hit the water several more times, in the midst of a tantrum. Chloe’s hair came loose and was now dripping onto her shoulders as she caught her breath. She swam quickly over to him. Clark stood smiling down at her as she trudged through the mud below the murky water’s surface. Faster than Clark could blink, Chloe’s hand shot out of the water, slinging mud.

It landed smack-dab in the center of Clark’s chest, splattering his chin. With disbelief he looked at Chloe, who wore a challenging grin.

"Oh, it’s on now!" Clark exclaimed. Chloe squealed and darted away as Clark reached down and slopped up his own mud. He super swam out to her and slapped the mud right on top of her blonde hair. Chloe retaliated against him by splashing water in his face. Soon a splash fight ensued with both of them laughing and yelling. When Chloe was actually getting the better of Clark, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, hauling her backwards to him. Clark dunked her a couple of times before she came up and clung to his shirt with both hands.

Clark held Chloe close, her chest heaving with her rapid breaths. Chloe raised her face and gaged Clark’s expression. It matched the one he wore right before he kissed her in the hospital. Chloe could feel his heart beating against her chest, keeping time with her own. Clark’s arm was wrapped around her waist, trapping her to him; his other arm out beside them, treading water.

Clark lowered his head just as Chloe turned her face downward, thwarting his attempt at a kiss.

"Clark, I … " Chloe began.

"It’s okay, Chloe," Clark stopped her, trying to mask his hurt. "Let’s get out of the water before you catch cold." It was then, Chloe remembered, it was probably about sixty degrees outside but her struggle with Clark had raised her internal temperature.

Clark sped her out of the water. “I need to finish feeding the cows. Why don’t you go and dry off?”

"Dry off with what Clark? Shake like a dog?"

“Works for Shelby,” Clark retorted.

Five seconds later, she held a fluffy towel in her hand.

"Try that," Clark said with a grin. He raced off and by the time Chloe had rung out her shirt, he was back. She finished drying as much as she could and hung the towel on the tailgate.

Clark got behind the wheel this time with Chloe beside him. The two made their way back to the farm house in silence, each lost in their own thoughts of what had just transpired. Chloe was finding it hard to believe Clark tried to kiss her again. Why was he doing this? Did he enjoy the emotional limbo he put her in? Did what he was saying last night, before they were interrupted, have anything to do with it? Before Martha came down the stairs, it sounded as if Clark was airing his doubts on his relationship with Lana. Doubts and reasons Lana herself asked Chloe to ferret out. This was absurd! Clark Kent and Lana Lang was Kansas’ version of Ken and Barbie. Chloe didn’t know what Clark’s issues were, but she’d make damn sure she wasn’t caught in the cross-hairs.

Clark, on the other hand, was making plans in his head for another chat with his best friend. He needed a plan. Chloe was going to take some convincing. She would never believe he switched gears suddenly. Clark furrowed his brow as the barn came into sight. He was sorry to see his mother go for a week but it would give him some much needed time alone with his little blonde.

Clark parked the truck and zipped around to open Chloe’s door for her to exit.

"Thanks, Clark, but why the Cinderella treatment?" Chloe asked as Clark handed her out of his old truck.

"Chloe, the doctor said to take it easy and I’m going to make sure you do that," Clark answered.

"With exception of the waterworks back there?" Chloe said sarcastically.

"With the exception of that. I’m sorry I lost my head earlier," Clark responded, apologizing more for throwing her in the water than trying to kiss her. Clark stepped forward and kissed her sloppily on the head. The sound of a throat clearing off in the distance caused both Chloe and Clark to look around.

"Sorry to disturb you."

"Mr. Luthor." Chloe was the first one to react.

"I was just on my way in to see Martha before her trip to the capital. Ms. Sullivan, I am very glad to see that you have emerged unscathed from your ordeal," Lionel Luthor intoned, standing a few yards away from them in his supple overcoat.

"So am I," Chloe agreed.

"And I hear it was our illustrious Clark Kent who saved you. I must say I am not surprised. In the path of mischief and danger walks Clark Kent."

"He does have that quality. And I, for one, am grateful," Chloe gushed, hoping to ease the tension between the two men. She knew Clark was less than thrilled about Lionel’s encroaching relationship with Martha Kent. From what Chloe could see, Lionel had pulled a true 180 since his short stint in the slammer and miraculous prison release. But Jonathon Kent’s shoes were impossible to fill and Chloe couldn’t even imagine what Clark felt about the prospect of maybe having Mr. Moneybags as a step-father.

"Well," Lionel breathed. Chloe could feel Clark like an immovable steel plate behind her, the heat from his anger washing over her. "I’ll be going then. It was nice to see you, Clark. Ms. Sullivan."

"Luthor." Clark’s voice bounced off the rafters, stopping Lionel from moving toward the house.

"Mr. Kent?" Clark stepped in front of Chloe, as if shielding her from the millionaire’s gaze.

"Your company used to do some extensive research with refined meteorite rock. Chloe’s attackers used that as the main component in their mixture. Do you have any idea how they got their hands on it?" Chloe peeked around Clark to see Lionel. His face, if anything, was astounded to say the least.

"I had almost forgotten what it was like to be accused by the Kent men. No, Clark, I have no idea. Lex has been in charge of the company since my incarceration. I have only recently been accepted back into the fold. If you have any other questions, I suggest you go speak with my son. He was always so fascinated with the extraterrestrial aspect of this town." Lionel walked out of the barn soundlessly in his expensive shoes.

"Clark, that was a little hostile don’t ya think?" Chloe said quietly.

"Chloe, he could have something to do with New Death." Clark said as he turned around to face her.

Chloe bit her bottom lip. “Yeah, I know, but I just have a hard time pinning this on Lionel Luthor. They could have gotten it from anywhere. Kryptonite is not so hard to come by anymore. After the second meteor shower there’s even more than before. I know that I was the star witness in Mr. Luthor’s trial but, ever since his release, he seems to have changed. I’m not ruling him out,” Chloe hurried on as she saw Clark roll his eyes, “But I would take a closer look at Luthor Jr., before I jumped to any more conclusions.”

"You’re right. I know Lex and I have gone our different ways but I hate thinking him capable of things like this. Old habits die hard. I spent so much time these past years defending Lex that it’s almost second nature to me now," Clark said as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"And that’s one of the things so great about you, Clark. Your ability to see past the bad in people to the good." Chloe chirped as she followed him into the barn

"Yeah, it used to be," Clark threw over his shoulder.


	21. Schemes

"These are not the results we discussed," Lex spoke precisely, his mobile phone pressed to his ear. The man on the other end made some excuse and Lex’s neck coiled like a snake ready to strike.

      "I don’t care about complications," Lex interrupted. "For what I pay you I expect you to gloss over complications. Now if I don’t have Carter Hogan’s research on the New Death Project on my desk before tomorrow you’ll be the one on the examination table next time."

      Lex snapped the phone shut and tossed it on his glass topped desk. Leaning back in his office chair, Lex picked up the remote to his left and pointed it at a panel in the library wall. The panel swung upward and from out behind it nine mounted screens slid forward with an expensive mechanical hiss.

      With the press of a button, all nine screens lit up with views from inside his house. Lex switched over to the exterior of his home. Security guards were stationed at every entrance and four manned the front gate where at this moment a maroon SUV pulled up front. Watching Lana step out and greet the men, Lex stood himself, smoothing his designer clothes. Another press of a button and the whole display disappeared again like it never was there.

      Lex strolled to a mirrored window and observed his reflection. He ran a hand over his bare head and wondered, fleetingly, what he would look like with the thick, vibrant red hair of his childhood. Ah, well. You can’t ever go back, must always keep going forward.

      The double doors to the library swung open and Lana Lang came waltzing in.

      "Lana," Lex greeted in his perfectly schooled voice. "What brings you to Smallville?"

      "Impromptu Girls’ Night at the Talon after Lois and I dropped Chloe off with the Kents’. I’m heading back to the city now and wanted to drop by and say hello while I was still in the neighborhood," Lana answered.

      Without turning from the mirror, Lex asked, “Is that really all you came by for? I’m flattered.”

      "Lex, I-," Lana began. She knew he was upset she’d ignored him for the past few weeks. She had more to worry about than his bruised ego. Like the fact that she and Clark’s relationship was almost extinct.

      "You don’t have to apologize," Lex told her, finally turning from the mirror. "You’ve been busy. I just thought you’d want the information you requested."

      "Oh, Lex! I am so sorry! Clark and Pete found Chloe so fast I forgot to call you. What did you find out?" Lana asked, perching herself on his Italian leather loveseat. When Pete and Clark left her alone in her dorm room, Lana called Lex to see if he could run down as much information on Carter Hogan as soon as possible.

      "Nothing outstanding. Just your run of the mill med student who got too caught up in his experiments. How is Chloe?" Lex joined Lana on the sofa, handing her a bottle of Perrier he kept with his scotch at the mini bar.

      "She’s doing well. The doctors predict a full recovery. She’s been put on semi-bed rest for two months and spending the time out on the Farm with Clark," Lana told him. Lex noted the way she held herself and knew instantly Chloe’s presence on the farm troubled her.

      "And I take it you are less than thrilled about that?" Lex commented.

      "You know, I’m sorry, Lex. I know Clark and I aren’t your favorite subject and to be truthful, even I’m tired of sounding like a broken record," Lana said after a swig from the cool green bottle.

      "Lana, you know you can talk to me about anything. I like to think we’ve become close," Lex replied as he patted Lana’s shoulder.

      Lex walked Lana to her car three hours later.

      "As always, thanks, Lex. I’ll see you next week." Lana hugged him and then drove away.

      Lex walked back to his library, the spacious Scottish mansion feeling suddenly empty and cold.

      _Not for long_ , Lex thought as he took his place in his office chair again. He flipped open his laptop and pulled up a video feed.

      The grainy forms of Carter Hogan and Chloe Sullivan were visible. Out of nowhere, Clark Kent appeared, like Lex knew he would. And then his plan began to unravel. He had been so sure he would see the something odd about Clark if he kept his eyes open long enough. But all he saw was Clark Kent crumple to the ground when he’d been stabbed and then little Chloe drag him into a room off the hall.

      Lex covered his mouth with a hand, thinking. He was so sure he would find it in that video. Maybe his next scheme would prove to more enlightening. The phone to his side beeped and he pressed the speaker button.

      "Yes?" He barked.

      "The woman is here," a disembodied voice informed.

      Lex smiled devilishly. “Send her in.”


	22. Stranger

Three weeks later, the cool days of March were giving way to mild, sunny days of April. One of these mild April days found Chloe in the loft, clicking away on her laptop. She reached over and took a sip from the mug of coffee she brought up with her. Currently she was working on a paper on the different writing styles used in journalism. Her article on her abduction had been a big success, earning her an ‘A’ in her class and possibly the semester, along with her second by-line in the DP. Only this time it had been on page 47 in the middle instead of 73 at the bottom.

      "Shelby!" Chloe continued working, ignoring Clark’s manly yell.

      "Shelby!" Clark yelled again. Chloe saved her paper and then slid the computer to the other cushion. Wandering over to the open window, Chloe leaned against the barn wall and looked out upon the scene below her. Shelby came bounding from the west and toppled a kneeling Clark to the ground. The two wrestled for a little bit until Clark held up a dirty yellow tennis ball and chucked it about three hundred feet away. With a happy bark Shelby took off after the ball. Chloe smiled softly.

      It had been three weeks since Clark tried to kiss her down by the tank and a week since Clark cornered her in the dining room. Chloe counted that as the sixth time Clark had brought up the subject of ‘them’, making it the sixth time Chloe shot him down.

      Chloe was still in disbelief Clark had taken his denial this far; still running from his problems with Lana by trying to put the moves on his best friend. Chloe pointed that out to him last week only to have her theory ignored. The truth was with Chloe, Clark was never just a friend. There would always be a part if her that wanted more. But her thoughts remained the same. She would not be caught between Lana and Clark in a lover’s quarrel. And if Clark really wanted her, after all this time, why hadn’t he done anything about Lana? Until then, Chloe would stick to her game plan: avoid any romantic talk, alone time with Clark, and talk all she could about Lana, Lana, Lana.

      After about five minutes, Shelby came trotting back, head held high with the ball. Only Shelby went right past Clark and headed into the barn.

      "Where you going, Shelby?" Clark asked. He turned around and spotted Chloe leaning out of the barn. Startled at having Clark catch her checking him out Chloe stepped quickly back from the window. _Yeah, encourage him some more, Chloe,_ she thought with a grimace. She heard footfalls on the stairs and saw Shelby jump the last few, followed closely by Clark. The dog padded over to her and dropped the ball by her feet. Shelby sat back and looked up Chloe with baleful eyes. When Chloe made no move to pick up the ball, Shelby whined quietly.

      "Ok, Shelby. I got the hint," Chloe told the dog as she picked up the ball and tossed it across the small space of the loft.

      "What are you working on?" Clark asked when she saw her laptop.

      "Just a paper for school." At Clark’s wary expression, Chloe explained, "It’s about writing styles. Nothing dangerous, Clark."

      "How are you feeling?"

      "I’m fine. A little tired," Chloe answered. All the bruises were gone and the cuts were mostly healed. Her skin, thanks many hours in the sun and nights of uninterrupted sleep, returned to its pretty natural glow. She still had a nightmare every once in a while, but none that woke her up screaming Clark’s name.

      "Hey, you wanna go grab a cup at the Talon?” Clark suggested. Chloe hadn’t been off the farm since she arrived. Clark thought it might be good for her to get out and see other people beside him and Pete, who Clark ran down last weekend and the one before that. Oh, and Lana who drove out to catch Chloe up on her classes. Clark always made a special effort to be on an errand or out of commission when Lana came by. He still didn’t know what to say to her. How could he tell her about Chloe and him if there was no Chloe and him?

      "Sure," Chloe artfully pushed the mug to the side where Clark wouldn’t see. She would hate to for anything change his mind. "It would be nice to see civilization again. Let me grab some things and I’ll meet you down by the truck."

      The drive to the Talon was quiet. Clark rehearsed the speech he was going to make to Chloe in his head while she read through some notes she’d brought along with her. Her laptop sat securely in a waterproof bag by her feet. Chloe planned to work but Clark had other ideas.

      Clark parked behind the Talon and the two entered through the rear.

      "Hey Chloe!" Lois called out when Clark and Chloe reached the public area. Clark cringed when he saw the tall girl. Just what he needed.

      "Hey Smallville! Ass still intact?" Lois called out over the slight noise of the coffee shop.

      "Play nice," Chloe whispered as she stepped up to the counter to place their orders.

      "Yeah, thanks for asking," Clark replied, trying to be civil for Chloe’s sake. Lois was her cousin after all. And best friends with Chloe and Lana.

      "So…" Lois came over to stand by Clark, both of them watching Chloe. "She’s really special, isn’t she Clark?"

      Clark looked at Lois as if she grew three antlers in a matter of seconds.

      "What?" Lois asked defensively. "I’m just saying almost losing her puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?"

      "Am I supposed to be taking anything away from this, Lois?" Clark asked, knowing what she was thinking.

      "No," Lois answered lightly.

      "Lois, Chloe and I have a-"

      "Oh, save it for someone who doesn’t have a brain, Clark. Anyone can see-"

      "Lois, do you know something?" Clark asked her in annoyance.

      "All I know, Clark, is that I will make good on my promise of breaking your legs if you break her heart. She sheds one more tear over your sorry Kansas Farmer Boy Ass, I’ll make that last meteor shower look like heaven on earth for you. Got it?" Lois whipped around to face him, her nose almost level with his.

      "Everything okay, you two?" Chloe appeared beside them, two cups of steaming coffee in her hands, her eyebrows raised.

      "Yeah, come on." Clark took one cup and then Chloe’s arm, leading her away from Lois.

      Chloe looked over her shoulder.  _"What did you do?"_ She mouthed.

      Lois shook her head as she watched the couple pick a remote spot over to the side. She understood what Chloe saw in Clark. His innate goodness, his farm boy charm, his odd clumsiness. Hell, she would even admit he was hot. And she knew that Clark genuinely cared for Chloe, but what she’d love to do to make him pay for all the tears he’d caused Chloe over the years. It made her blood boil to even think about it.

      She continued to watch them as Clark pulled a chair out for Chloe. Clark leaned down said something in her ear and Chloe looked up at him with a reproaching smirk. For a moment, Lois saw what they could be if only Clark would open his eyes. Chloe loved him for all he was worth, which in Lois’ opinion, was close to negative fifteen. But her practical brain told her that was her heart talking. Chloe would be one lucky chick-a-dee if she grabbed Clark. Lois only hoped that Clark made the right decision. From what Lois had gleaned from the handful of times she’d met Clark and Chloe’s other best friend, Pete, it had always seemed to be a choice of Chloe or Lana for Clark. Lana was her friend, but Chloe was blood. And Lanes were not anything if not loyal.

      Clark sat across from Chloe. He stopped her when she began to unpack her computer.

      "Chloe, I brought you here because I want to talk to you," he told her.

      Chloe eyed him carefully. “What about, Clark?”

      "About us."

      "Clark, I’ve already told you, there is no ‘us’. Well there is, but not the way you’re implying. You know who you really need to talk to? _Lana_ ,” Chloe replied hastily, trying to head this off.

      "And I will. But not until I know what we’re going to do. I can’t just keep stringing her along," Clark said, taking Chloe’s hand.

      "Then stop stringing her along, Clark," Chloe responded angrily, yanking her hand from his. "If you don’t want to be with Lana anymore, then don’t be. But don’t use me as an excuse."

      "Chloe, you’re not an excuse," Clark exclaimed.

      "Oh, right. You just magically decide that we need to be together? You finally have the girl of your dreams after being in love with her for years and you’re willing to throw that all away for me?" Chloe asked him skeptically. "It’s not _me_ , Clark, that you want to be with. You’re just saying that because you’re scared. Because you’re scared that Lana won’t accept you for who you are!” Chloe screamed at him.

      "Chloe," Clark said calmly. Why was this not going the way he planned it? Chloe was supposed to cry and then melt into his arms as they kiss with the sun setting. That’s how it happened in the movies. "I’m not scared. It’s just in these past few weeks, I’ve realized what we have is so easy-"

      "Easy?" Chloe cut him off. "What we have is _easy_? So, you’re saying, the reason you want to jump ship with Lana is because it’s gotten hard? Because you have to work to make it with her?” Chloe stood, knocking the cup off the table. It landed with a loud shatter, drawing anyone’s attention who wasn’t already embroiled in the drama to the couple in the corner. Clark scrambled after Chloe as she stormed toward the entrance.

      "Chloe! That’s not what I meant! Let me explain!" Clark reached out and grabbed Chloe by the shoulders and turned her to face him. His heart stopped. Chloe’s face was awash with fat tears and the pain in her eyes was worse than Kryptonite.

      "Save it, Clark," Chloe told him, shrugging off his hands. "I know how this song ends." And she walked out, leaving Clark standing in the middle of the coffee shop covered in scalding mocha latte he’d been splattered with, watching her walk away from him.

      "I thought she’d never leave," a seductive voice said from behind him.


	23. Hypnotic

Lois watched as her cousin, crying again, left the coffee house. Stalking past Clark, she gave him her best go to hell look. He didn’t even see her, so engrossed in some blonde tramp. She jogged out of the shop to find Chloe.

"Hi, I’m Simone," the tramp said. Clark continued to look at her, trying to place her if he did, indeed, know her.

"I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go," Clark told her, motioning over his shoulder. With any luck he could catch up with Chloe before Lois.

"What’s the hurry?" Simone asked him, fingering the pretty blue stone hung around her neck. Clark looked at it, noting its size, and then he felt an odd compulsion slide through him. "You’re not going anywhere unless I tell you to," Simone told him.

"Okay," Clark said, wondering why he needed to leave in the first place.

"You’re going to believe everything I tell and you’re going to do everything I say. Starting now," Simone ordered, taking a step up to him.

"What did you have in mind?" Clark asked. Simone grabbed his wrist and led him out back.

Once outside, she made it very clear what she wanted. Clark threw her up against the chain link fence and began to kiss her heatedly. They went at it, hot and heavy, for a few moments before a car screeched into the alley and someone opened and shut the car door.

_"Clark?"_ Lois said incredulously.

Clark lifted his head and looked guiltlessly at Lois. She stormed over to them.

"What the hell are you doing?" Her lip curled in anger.

With a big smile, Clark introduced the strange woman. “Lois, I’d like you to meet Simone, my new girlfriend.”

Lois balled her fists. She’d found Chloe a block away in the Smallville Diner, bawling her eyes out over the biggest piece of chocolate cake Lois ever saw. She slid into the other side of the booth.

"Death by chocolate?" Lois asked sympathetically

"Sort of," Chloe replied around a huge bite of cake.

"What happened back there?" Lois motioned the waitress over and requested another fork. "Can I?" Lois asked before sinking her fork into the moist dessert.

"Yeah," Chloe sniffed. "I don’t even know why I’m crying. It’s not like anything happened."

"Something obviously happened or you wouldn’t be here stuffing your face with the most delicious dessert in the world!" Lois exclaimed when the cake hit her tongue.

"We just had a fight," Chloe moaned.

"You two have had a lot a fights. What was this one about?" Lois took a bigger bite of cake.

"Hey! You know what? Get your own piece!" Chloe exclaimed as she struck Lois’ fork with her own. "It wasn’t about anything. You know how I told you Clark keeps trying to talk about the kiss in the hospital?"

"You mean the way you’ve been avoiding him?" Lois clarified.

Chloe threw Lois a death stare. “Anyway, I don’t know, but today I just had enough. He started talking about us and the whole discussion boiled down to Clark wanting to break up with Lana because things have gotten hard between them.”

"Are you sure that’s why he wants to break up with her? Maybe he just didn’t word it right. We all Clark is not the wordsmith of your caliber." Lois couldn’t believe she was playing devil’s advocate.

"I don’t care, Lois. Clark and I have danced this dance before and I’m always the one who ends up doing the solo. I’m hanging up my glass slippers for good now."

Lois and Chloe finished the cake and at Chloe’s request, tabled Clark talk for the night. Lois suggested a movie to take her mind off the fight. She was going to meet Chloe back at the diner with the car, but Lois had to pull a U-y because she forgot her purse up in her apartment. That’s when she found her cousin’s lying, cheating, back-stabbing scum of the earth best friend tonguing the same blonde tramp he’d been eying when Lois left to find Chloe.

"You are such a slimebag," Lois snarled as she pushed past them into the Talon.

"Take me somewhere we won’t get interrupted, Clark," Simone said sweetly. Clark led her to his truck and drove her back to his house, any thought of an upset Chloe far from his mind.

In the kitchen, Clark served up some of his mother’s freshly made apple pie.

"Here you go," he said, sliding the plate across the table to Simone.

"Apple pie. Well, what else?" Simone said as she sat down.

"My mom just made it," Clark bragged.

"Of course she did." Simone stuck the fork into the scrumptious looking pastry and took a bite, Clark watching her carefully. "That’s delicious. Now all I need is a glass of champagne. But I don’t suppose you have that hidden behind the marmalade," she said jokingly. Suddenly, Clark was gone.

"Clark?" Simone called out. She got up from the stool and looked around the kitchen and the room off it, calling out his name again. There was a whoosh of wind and when she turned around, Clark stood before her with a bottle of champagne.

"What did you…" Simone trailed off as he twirled the bottle in his hands. "Where did you get that?"

"Al’s Liquor Store in Metropolis," Clark told her, holding the bottle out to her.

"What? Metropolis?" Simone took the bottle from him. "How?"

"I can run really fast," Clark said simply.

"So if I were to say, Clark, I want some chocolate covered strawberries," she said with a laugh.

Same thing happened and when Clark returned with roses and the strawberries, she squealed with glee. “You are too good to be true!”

Clark had the grace to look modest.

"I think it’s time you told your girlfriend about us," she ordered. "Call her and ask her to come over."

Clark took the phone out of his pocket and dialed Lana’s number.

* * *

Inside of the movie theater, Lois sat with Chloe on a bench and told her what she just saw. After she thought about it, Lois conceded Chloe needed to know about Clark’s back alley rendezvous. They needed to tell Lana about this tramp and Chloe, so Lana would know why her boyfriend was treating her like yesterday’s news.

"Okay, I am the first person to concede anything is possible in this universe, but Clark Kent lip locked with another girl?" Chloe gave Lois a look, knowing full well what she had just said.

"Chloe, I’m telling you it was last tango at the Talon. Unfortunately, I had front row seats," Lois said as she dug into the big bucket of popcorn she’d purchased.

"Well," Chloe started. "Something must have happened to him. Because he wouldn’t just _do_ this.” When he kissed her and then tried the second time, they had both been emotionally charged.

"Look, I know you have this whole hero-worship thing with the guy, but face it. Clark is no different from than any other red-blooded male. His brain, it’s not his commanding officer," Lois challenged.

"Lois, you don’t know him like I do," Chloe responded. "He is different. He wouldn’t do this to Lana."

"He already has! Twice! And if Lana’s our friend we need to shoot off a warning flare before-"

"No, hold your fire. Now before you utter one word to Lana about this let me talk to him."

Lois looked at Chloe and shook her head. “Fine. Talk to lover boy. Let’s go before we miss our movie.” Lois headed to one of the cinemas.

Chloe’s phone rang. “Go on, Lois. Save me a seat.” Chloe answered the phone.

"Lana. What’s up?"

* * *

The next morning, Chloe commandeered Lois’ car before she woke up; her bug still at the dorm parking lot. On the drive out to the Clark’s, Chloe tried to reign in her anger. He goes from loving Lana, to wanting her, to slumming it with some coffee house groupie? She couldn’t understand it. Chloe had told Clark to stop stringing Lana along, but Chloe had no idea he would go to such theatrical lengths to do so.

Chloe parked the car out front and looked in the barn first. Bingo. Clark was putting away heavy looking canister things.

"Oh, thank god, you’re fully clothed," she griped at him as she walked in. "I was afraid I would be walking in on some sort of Dangerous Liaison." Chloe crossed her arms.

"I take it you’ve talked to Lana," Clark replied, not even looking up from his chore.

"Well, I could barely hear her through the sobs but, yeah, she called to tell me what happened."

Chloe watched Clark; his face impassive and still working. She took an enraged breath. “So, where’s the hottie?”

"If you’re talking about _Simone,_ " Clark emphasized. "She’s in the house."

"I don’t get it," Chloe thought out loud. "I mean, if it was Red K you wouldn’t be doing chores and if it was Silver K you’d be afraid that pitchfork over there was going to turn you into a Shish Kabob. What happened to you, Clark?"

"I fell in love," Clark told her simply.

"I don’t think you fell. I think you were pushed. Off a cliff." Chloe put a hand on her hip. Gone was the anger from yesterday and the hurt. As usual, something was up with her best friend and it was delegated to her to set him right again.

"Chloe, just because you know my secret doesn’t mean you know how I feel," Clark told her with his back turned.

"Yeah, but I do know you would never intentionally hurt Lana like this," Chloe said.

"Chloe, you’re the one who said my relationship with Lana would never go anywhere as long as I have to lie about who I am," Clark fed her words back to her as he turned to face her. "You know what? You were right."

"So how are things gonna be any different with Simone?" Chloe felt tears begin to sting at the back of her eyes. The same movie was playing in her head, only this time, there was a different girl at the end of it. Boy, she’d been stupid.

"I told Simone about my powers."

"Okay, wait a minute, Clark." Chloe walked over to him, anxiety churning in her stomach. "You may think you’re madly in love with this girl, but you need to stay away from her."

"You haven’t met her," Clark accused. "You don’t even know Simone."

"Yeah, but I know you well enough to know when you’re being manipulated," Chloe stated seriously. Clark stepped around her.

"You’re crossing the line here, Chloe," Clark told her. "And I’ve always trusted you so why not this time, you trust me? Let me live my life," Clark spoke over her. "Back off."

"I can’t back off, Clark. Do you remember that yesterday you were trying to talk me into being with you? It’s not only Lana you’re hurting," Chloe hinted softly.

"And I remember you storming out on me. Simone helped me get over my heartache," Clark said with a smirk.

"Wow, Clark. I’m glad someone was there to get you through that rough time. See ya around." Chloe walked out of the barn and over to Lois’ car. Clark continued to work and Chloe changed directions and headed for the house.

She entered the front door and surveyed the scene, keeping her eyes open for this Simone. She made her way back to the kitchen and spied a black purse sitting on the bar. No one seemed to be around and Chloe decided it was the prime time for snooping. Until she heard a female voice calling out Clark’s name from the stairs. Chloe turned quickly toward them.

"Hi!" She called out as the woman, dressed just in a blue towel, appeared. "You must be Simone. I’m Chloe, Clark’s friend," she told the woman brightly. "It’s really great to finally meet you," Chloe continued as Simone stared at her apprehensively.

"Hello," Simone responded as she began her descent down the stairs again.

"I’m so glad Clark hooked up with you. He was just so miserable with Lana and now I honestly have never seen him more happy," Chloe said, still trying to ease the woman’s leeriness. "You two are really perfect for each other." _This smile is beginning to hurt!_

"That’s nice to hear," Simone replied with a smile. "Do you know where he is?"

"Yeah, he’s in the barn." Simone walked to the screen door and hung out, telling Clark she needed him. With quick hands, Chloe dug through her purse and pocketed a photo ID.

"Well, I’m just going to leave you two turtle doves alone," Chloe said to the back of Simone. Simone turned, remembering Chloe was there. "It was nice to meet you."

"You, too," Simone said.

Chloe backed out of the house and then made a run for the car. Once inside and kicking up dirt from the drive, Chloe called Lois.

"Meet me outside the Talon in ten minutes. We’re going to the Daily Planet."

* * *

"And why are we going to Metropolis? Does it have anything to do with why you pulled a Gone in 60 Seconds with my car?" Lois questioned with annoyance when Chloe pulled to the curb to collect her.

Chloe recounted her conversation with Clark, ignoring Lois’ sarcastic comments and unladylike snorts. Chloe drove through the parking lot mazes of Met U until she reached her own car.

"Here." Chloe tossed the keys back to Lois after she’d taken her own spare car key off the ring.

"I’m going to the Daily Planet to do some homework on our mystery seductress. Meet me there." Chloe got in her car and sped away. She took the first available parking space she could find, even if it was four blocks away. Sprinting most of the way, Chloe arrived inside the Daily Planet building out of breath and wondering where Lois was. Sitting down at her desk, Chloe pulled up the Internet and let her fingers do the work.

An hour and a half later, Chloe met Lois out in the atrium where she was waiting for a fax.

"Where have you been?" Chloe demanded.

"I went shopping. I knew you would call me when you found something. So? Is Clark a cheating boyfriend or a casualty of some left over cheer-leading experiment?"

"Neither," Chloe said as the two girls pushed opened the double doors to the basement offices. "I think Clark’s bizarre behavior might be some form of super charged hypnosis."

"I’ve heard of hypnotism being used to stop smoking or lose weight but to reduce Clark to some goo-goo eyed love slave?" Lois voiced her doubt as she followed Chloe back to her desk.

"This isn’t just over the counter hypnosis, this is prescription strength and it never wears off. Check this out," Chloe sat in front of her computer again and began pulling up some windows, telling Lois all she’d dug up. "Simone’s dad was world renowned for curing his patients of all kinds of afflictions. Everything from cravings to cancer."

Lois leaned her hips against another desk, processing what Chloe just told her. “Maybe I can talk to him about my nail-biting issue,” she quipped.

"I’m afraid it’s a little late for that," Chloe pulled up a recent Internet obituary. "Last month he died during a botched burglary."

Lois leaned over Chloe’s shoulder, something in the photograph of the man catching her eye.

"Wait a second. I’ve seen that jewel."

"So have I," Chloe said. "Around Simone’s scrawny little neck."

Chloe handed Lois the ID she’d nicked from Simone’s purse. “It’s an ancient family heirloom. Its dates back to the great alchemists in medieval England.” She got up and went to the file cabinet and pulled out a drawer, Lois right behind her. “It was also the only thing stolen.”

"Are you saying Simone’s responsible for her own father’s death?" Lois asked doubtfully as Chloe pulled out some file.

"Well, if it meant getting daddy’s hyper hypno-powers then maybe. I just think it’s a tad bit cocky to be wearing it around your neck like an Olympic medal," Chloe spat as she went back to her desk.

"Not if you can make any cop believe that you’re innocent," Lois said, the idea beginning to take hold. "What I don’t understand is why of all people, go after Clark?"

"I don’t know," Chloe replied, although she had a sneaky suspicion. "But we definitely need to snap him out of it soon before he does something he won’t ever come back from."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s move," Lois said, ready to call in the cavalry.

"Yeah, you know, I, um, I just need to grab something. I’ll meet you there," Chloe told Lois.

"Okay." And with the swing of her ponytail, Lois marched from the basement. When Chloe was sure she was gone, she opened a desk drawer and opened a lead box, grabbing the rock from inside it. Then she headed out.

* * *

The drive back to Smallville felt like an eternity behind the wheel. When she arrived back at the Kents’ she saw Lois’ car but not Clark’s truck. Something must have gone wrong. She hurried to the house.

"Mrs. Kent. What are you doing?" Chloe heard Lois ask as she opened the kitchen door.

"Stay right where you are," the cold voice of Martha Kent was directed at Lois. Chloe couldn’t believe it! Her cousin was on the ground with Mrs. Kent holding a rifle aimed at Lois’ chest.

"Look, you’re not yourself, so why don’t you quit the Calamity Jane impression and drop the weapon?" Lois suggested as she slowly and carefully rose from the floor. Chloe saw a rolling pin on the cabinet. Mrs. Kent must have been baking. She grabbed it and made her way around through the hall to the other opening into the family room, coming silently behind Martha.

"I don’t like it any more than you do, Lois, but it’s the only way to keep you here," Martha said. Chloe counted to three and then swung the rolling pin with all her strength, striking Mrs. Kent on the back of the head and knocking her immediately unconscious. She watched the woman she thought of as mother tumble to the floor.

"Oh my gawd. I just knocked out Martha Kent," was all Chloe could say while staring Martha’s still form.

"Hello?" Lois said from beside her. "The woman was about to wallpaper her living room with my brain matter."

"Right," Chloe said, looking at rolling pin in shock. "Where’s Clark?"

"Well, while I was seeing stars I think his girlfriend said she wanted to go to the Luthor mansion or something," Lois spoke as she walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bag of apples.

Chloe slipped out the door, not waiting for Lois to finish. Chloe didn’t like the idea of what she might find at the mansion one bit.

* * *

Lex, coming home from his business trip, opened the doors to his home office. His steps halted when he saw Clark, standing in the dark.

"Well, it’s always nice to be welcomed home after a trip," Lex said as Clark turned. He threw his briefcase and sports jacket on the coffee table to his right. "But I didn’t expect to find you here."

The two men walked toward each other. Unexpectedly, Clark reached out and grasped the front of Lex’s fancy purple shirt and threw him across the room. Lex came crashing down, shattering his glass desk.

Clark watched as Lex laid stunned for a couple of seconds. He was surprised he didn’t feel anything. He was giving away his secret to another Luthor and possibly the most dangerous one. But it didn’t matter. As long as Lex never knew his weakness, there was nothing he could do to him. _Nothing._ That made him smile a tiny bit.

Lex rolled to his side, his face screwing up in pain. He would be lucky if no long shards of glass punctured any vital organs. But if Clark could throw him across the room like that, long shards of glass weren’t his only problem. “Clark, you’ve been hypnotized. How else could you throw me across the room like that?”

"I’m done with you, Lex," Clark told him calmly as he advanced toward the man on the floor.

"You’re under Simone’s control now," Lex continued, hoping to reach Clark on some other level, the real Clark underneath the hypnosis. "Girl’s a cold blooded murderer, Clark."  
Nothing was stopping him.

Clark picked Lex up. “Your lies can’t help you now.” He pushed him roughly into the stone wall behind them and then turned him around, pulling back his fist for the final obliteration.

"Clark! Before she wore that jewel she was nothing but a petty shoplifter. Her dad never trusted her with the gem so she murdered him for it," Lex saw Clark lower his fist and breathed a little easier. He was getting through to him. "I have the whole thing on surveillance tape."

"You don’t believe a word he said, Clark," ordered Simone as she pranced in, heels clicking on the hard floor.

"My security’s on the way," Lex bluffed.

"Oh, I’ve met your security team," Simone simpered as she joined the two. "Hope you don’t mind, I gave them all the day off."

For the first time in his life, Lex could see no way to bargain, beg or steal his way out of this. He knew, without a doubt, he would meet death tonight. At the hands of his best friend.

"Finish him off, Clark," Simone uttered the words that would mean his death. "And make him suffer."

Snarling, Clark grabbed Lex with one hand around his throat and thrust him into the air. He began to tighten his grip as Lex fought for oxygen. Simone watched happily as her blackmailer started to suffocate.

Tighter and tighter Clark squeezed. Lex’s eyes were beginning to glaze over. Clark was debating whether to crush his air pipe when he began to feel weak and queasy. His grip began to loosen as the feeling became stronger. He couldn’t bear it. Dropping Lex, Clark fell to the floor in the familiar agony of Kryptonite. Chloe came into his sight, holding a big rock of the green stuff.

"I’m sorry, Clark," she told him, slipping the rock into the pocket of his jacket. The kryptonite seemed to have to mind clearing affect and Clark came back to himself.

"No," Clark moaned. He knew in helping him Chloe would get herself killed. "Chloe, no."

Lex scrambled away and pulled a gun from the briefcase he’d discarded earlier. Standing to his feet he pointed the gun at Simone.

"Lex," Simone said, fingering the jewel. "Kill her." Simone nodded to Chloe. "And then kill yourself."

Chloe watched in horror as Lex now fell under her spell. Well, the bitch was going to pay for that. As Lex turned Chloe marched over to him and turned to the side, grasping Lex’s arm. She leaned all her weight on the arm as they struggled together. Using all the force she could, she threw herself against him, throwing Lex off balance. In that mili-second, Chloe swung Lex around and pointed the gun at Simone.

With a blast the gun went off, the bullet traveling straight and true. The jewel broke into a million tiny pieces as the bullet hit it and Simone fell to the ground, dead.

Both Lex and Chloe looked down at the inert woman. Lex braced a hand on Chloe’s back as he griped the gun and breathed in deeply.

Chloe stared a second longer and then ran to Clark, taking the Kryptonite from his pocket and tossing it out into hallway away from him. Clark stood shakily to his feet.

"You all right, Clark?" Chloe asked hurriedly, running her hands down his arms, assuring herself he was okay.

"I think so," Clark answered as he looked down at her, still in shock over what he had almost done.

"Let’s get out of here," Chloe said as she took his hand to lead him out of the mansion.

"Wait," Clark murmured. He let go of Chloe’s hand and walked over to Lex. "Lex?"

Lex felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Clark.

"Go. I’ll take care of all this," he said quietly.

"Lex, I-"

"Clark, go. Just… go." Lex waved him off as he walked to the only piece of unbroken furniture in the room and sat down, his face in his hands.

"Come on," Chloe said, meeting Clark at the door. Clark took her hand again and the two left the room.


	24. Ending

_Voices drifted in and out of the swinging blue door of the Talon kitchen. Clark looked out of the circle cut windows at the crowded dining area._

_"Good turn out," Clark told the two men standing in the kitchen with him. He turned to Pete and his father, also dressed in tuxedos. "Is my bow-tie crooked?" He asked nervously._

_"It’s good, son." Jonathon Kent answered with a smile. "Come over here."_

_Clark walked over to his father who straightened his tie anyway. Clark grinned at him stupidly. “Thanks, Dad.”_

_Pete and Jonathon made small talk while Clark strolled around the kitchen, twiddling his thumbs._

_Rapping her knuckles against a door, Martha Kent stepped inside. She was dressed smartly in a powder blue tea dress with a matching jacket. A yellow daffodil blossom was pinned to her lapel._

_"You boys ready?" Martha asked._

_Clark gazed at his mother with wide eyes. “Is it time?”_

_Martha nodded excitedly._

_"Okay, we’ll be out in a minute, hon," Jonathon told her._

_Martha retreated out of the kitchen._

_"Hey, Pete," Jonathon began. "Could you give us a minute?"_

_"Sure thing, Mr. Kent," Pete said. He walked past Clark, stopping to pat him on the shoulder._

_"Don’t worry, Clark. Its normal to be nervous before you get married." He then disappeared through the swinging doors._

_Clark turned back to his father._

_Jonathon looked at his son, putting both hands on Clark’s shoulders. “I want you to know how proud I am of the man you have become.”_

_"Thanks, Dad," Clark said._

_"I’m so glad you’ve found someone you can spend the rest of your life with. It’s not every day you find the girl of your dreams," Jonathon continued._

_"I didn’t think I would ever find someone. There’s no one else like her in the world. I just want what you and Mom have," Clark told him.  
_

_Jonathon pulled Clark forward, enveloping him in a strong hug. “You two are going to be so happy,” his father whispered huskily. “You picked the right girl.”_

_"I know I have." Clark hugged his father back._

_"All right. You ready?" Jonathon asked._

_"I think I’ve been ready for a long time," Clark murmured thoughtfully. Jonathon squeezed Clark’s shoulders one last time and the two walked out together. Clark looked around himself in awe. The Talon’s funky Egyptian decor was transformed into a pretty wedding wonderland. The twinkle lights were still in place but all the columns were draped in yellow and white netting. The chairs normally surrounding the many tables were arranged in two sections with an aisle between them. A snowy white runner was laid from the dessert table, now covered in a blue fabric with a big arrangement of daffodils and lilies, to the foot of the stairs. Tables lined the walls on either side of the chairs. They, too, were covered with blue table clothes and mini flower arrangements for the reception after the ceremony._

_Taking their places in front of the dessert counter, Clark and Jonathon signaled the guests to take their seats in the white silk covered chairs. A hush fell over the crowd as the minister joined Clark and Jonathon. Clark spied Pete on the second landing just outside the apartment. He nodded to Pete, who in turn shot a thumbs-up sign to an unseen person below. String music filled the building and the apartment door opened. Martha Kent stepped out and took Pete’s waiting arm. She was escorted down the stairs to a silk covered chair in front on Clark’s side. After seating her, Pete came to stand by Jonathon. Clark smiled at his mother who was already dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief._

_Lois emerged from the open door, dressed in a knee length butter yellow bridesmaid dress with a blue sash and carrying white lilies. With measured steps, Lois made her way down the stairs to the makeshift altar, stopping and pivoting on the opposite side of Clark._

_After a quick smile at her, Clark looked expectantly back to the apartment door. The music swelled and Lana stepped out next. Clark’s smile brightened as she made her way toward him. Sunlight filled the room, shining out behind her. As she took her place beside Lois in her own matching dress, the music faded out._

_Silence reigned until the bridal march began softly. Guests stood and looked up to the landing, as did both bridesmaids and groomsmen. Clark felt his heart pound in excitement and could hardly contain the urge to whoop. A dreamy gaze fell over his face as his smile slipped away. The door opened once more and finally, the bride swept out in all her splendid whiteness._

_The bride floated down in a cloud of satin and continued to glide down the aisle. A thin veil obscured her face and as she reached him, Clark felt a slight tremor of panic. Who was this unknown woman under the veil? Why couldn’t he see her face? Not able to stop himself, Clark reached out and took her gloved hand, bringing her to stand beside him before the minister. The ceremony blurred past Clark, the ministers words a heavy buzz in his ears. All he could think of is what he would find under the veil._

_"You may now kiss the bride," the minister intoned, clear as a bell._

_With a sense of anticipation, Clark leaned forward to lift the gossamer fabric. He caught a spicy scent which had him grasping the veil in both hands and pulling it over the bride’s head quickly. Peace and happiness as he’d never known flooded his soul, revealing his bride. Her soft smile chased away any darkness hanging over them on their special day._

_Gently taking her face in his hands and tilting it upward, he gazed down into her wet hazel eyes._

_"Chloe," he murmured as their lips met._

Clark pulled back and opened his eyes, expecting to find Chloe’s sweet, upturned face. Instead, he was looking down at the ratty fabric of the sofa he kept in the loft.

Chloe wasn’t the only one who had left over dreams from their experience. Only his didn’t leave him shaking and scared. His left him lonely and sad. Especially now that he was alone in his loft. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked over to see Shelby gazing at him.

"You miss her, boy?" Clark asked the dog. Shelby whimpered. "Yeah, me too."

Clark stood and walked over the window and looked out. Shelby followed him.

"She is perfect. She is the right girl," Clark told himself. "I don’t want her because what we have is easy. I want her because she completes me. She makes it possible for me to be who I am. Why can’t I make her see that?"

For the umpteenth time in two days, Clark ran their fight through his head. One thing Chloe screamed at him kept coming back.

Like a whack on the head, Clark knew what had to be done. He was such a jerk! All along he’d been telling himself, he needed to tell Lana about him and Chloe because only then could he move on. But it wasn’t only him that needed to move on. This involved Chloe as well. How could he expect Chloe to play the other woman to her best friend? He had put her in a horrible spot. If he ever hoped to be with Chloe, to make her feel as happy and whole as she made him, he needed to break it off once and for all with Lana. He’d fallen back into his old routine of choosing the easy problem instead of the hard one. Well, not anymore.

"Don’t worry, Shelby. I’ll get her back." Clark tousled the dog’s hair and went to make his way down the loft stairway, finding Lana climbing up toward him.

"Lana," Clark said stiffly.

"I thought you might like to talk." Lana replied, cresting the stairs.

"You’re right, Lana. We do need to talk," Clark said, crossing his arms.

"Wow. There’s a first. Clark Kent admitting there’s a giant elephant in the room," Lana commented waspishly.

"Lana, look-"

"It’s okay, Clark. Chloe told me," Lana said.

"She did?" Clark said with confusion.

"Yeah. This Simone woman hypnotized you. I know it wasn’t you doing those things. After a lot of thinking, I realized you wouldn’t do that," Lana explained, walking steadily toward him.

"I would never intentionally hurt you, Lana. I am sorry for what you saw," Clark apologized.

"I know you wouldn’t. And I forgive you," Lana told him as she walked right up to him and put her arms around his waist, trying to hug him. Clark pushed her away.

"But there is something we need to talk about," Clark tried again.

"What, Clark? I know that wasn’t you. Everything is okay. What else to you need to tell me?" Lana asked innocently.

"Are you not even curious as to why I haven’t spoken to you in three weeks?" Clark asked.

"Clark, I am ready to put the past behind us if you are. There are things you feel you need to keep from me. I don’t know why, but I hope in time, you’ll learn to trust me," Lana said soothingly, making her way over to him again.

"I kissed Chloe." Clark blurted out. Lana stopped in her tracks.

"What?"

"Lana, I kissed Chloe."

"I heard you Clark. Why?"

"Lana, you and I have been falling apart almost since we got together. I tried to ignore it, but I can’t any longer," Clark began.

"What does any of this have to do with you kissing Chloe?" Lana asked him between clenched teeth.

"What I’m trying to tell you, Lana. None of this is Chloe’s fault. It was all me. I’ve been trying to deny it for a long time-"

"I guess I should have seen this coming," Lana whispered as she fell back on the sofa, all the anger seeming to seep out of her. "She knows, doesn’t she? Whatever it is you feel you can’t tell me, she knows?"

"Please don’t be mad at her, Lana. She had nothing to do with it. She’s always been my best friend and I finally saw what I should have seen all along. Something I was too scared to see for the longest time," Clark told her, surprised at how well she was taking this.

"Clark," Lana said seriously. "I need to know this is not something you’re doing to push me away. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me anymore. I can deal with the Chloe thing as long as I know you’re not trying to push me away for what you think is my own good."

Lana stood and waited for Clark to meet her. She needed to know. She could accept this. It made sense. But she refused to let go of Clark if their relationship could be saved.

Clark took Lana’s arms and turned her to face him fully. “Lana, I don’t love you,” he told her without hesitation.

Tears filled her eyes and Lana turned her head to the side, biting her lip.

"Lana," Clark started.

"I’m okay, Clark. It was either you or me who was going to end this. My pride is just sorry it got to be you," Lana cut him off with feeling. "If this is true, about you and Chloe, then there is something I should have given you a long time ago."


	25. Beginning

"Hmmmm…" Chloe sighed as she worked on her office computer. She tapped and banged absently, the only things taking shape in front of her were nonsensical phrases and words. For two hours she’d been working up her courage to go home. Home, as in the dorm she shared with Lana back at Met U. She looked at her watch. If she left now, she would have the place to herself for at least another three hours or however long it took Lana and Clark to put the relationship back on the tracks. Or she could go to the Talon and stay with Lois as she had been doing for the past couple of days. Answer all of the Lois’ questions. And she would have questions. Then there was always the option of curling up in the DP break room with a phone book as a pillow. Chloe hung her head as she thought her third option was most likely the best.

_Can I go back?_ After all that had happened between her and Clark, could she really go back to living with Lana and watching the two of them try to negotiate the murky waters of their so-called love life? Forever being caught in the middle of knowing and covering? Because Lana called Chloe about two hours ago to tell Chloe she was on her way out to the farm to ‘talk things out’. In probably another hour, Chloe would get a text from one of them, telling her the fight was over and everything was back to their definition of normal. The dalliance with Chloe would be pushed to the back of Clark’s mind. Chloe would put on her brave smile and go back to being his ‘Krypto Hag’. Life would go back to normal.

Surprising her, tears formed and fell before she could stop them. Chloe stood quickly and made her way to women’s restroom and cried quietly in one of the stalls. After another thirty minutes, when she was sure all her tears were dried, she made her way out and to the sink to mop up her face. Her eyes were still weak and tired looking but other than that, she seemed fine. Chloe blew her nose and left the bathroom. Rounding the corner, she halted as her breath caught in her chest. Clark stood a few feet from her, his back turned as he leaned against the wall looking through the glass doors. In front of him, Chloe thought he held a bouquet of flowers, a type she couldn’t make out, although she knew, from the red and yellow liner they came from the Smallville Florist. Frowning, she took a few hesitant steps toward him but stopped again when Clark turned to face her.

Clark heard Chloe’s breathing before he heard her footsteps behind him. She stopped and judging by her sharp gasp, had not been expecting to see him standing outside her office doors. When she began to walk again, Clark turned to her. She’d been crying. Clark did not know how he was able to tell, but he knew without a doubt, she’d been crying not ten minutes earlier. Like a goon, Clark thrust the flowers he picked up on his way out of Smallville behind his back, but he was pretty sure she already saw them. The two stood for innumerable seconds, each waiting the other to say something. Finally, Chloe, as usual, smiled her uncomfortable bright smile and closed the distance between them.

"So!" She started cheerfully. "How you feeling? Any leftover effects?"

"None. How are you? I see you’re back at work. Against Dr. Matthew’s orders," Clark said sternly.

"Oh, please, Clark," Chloe said easily, falling back into the familiar manner in which she spoke to Clark. She side-stepped him and grasped the brass bar, pushing open the door and prancing inside. Clark caught the door and followed her. She settled back down in her chair and struggled to look busy. "I’m way too important to have a two month vacation," she told him pointedly.

"Well, at least we got you to stay still for one of them," Clark replied, still standing. "You know, its almost seven-thirty. What are you still doing here?"

"Unlike you, it takes me more than five seconds to catch up on the work I missed. I was just getting ready to go home. Clark, what is with the flowers you’re trying to hide behind your back?" Chloe finally asked him after he shifted them a second time.

"Oh, you saw them." Clark smiled sheepishly. Chloe nodded with a smirk. "They’re for you."

Clark held the bouquet of daffodils and lilies out to her, watching as she lifted her eyebrows in question at the odd pairing.

"Thank you, Clark. They’re very pretty," Chloe commented as she took them from him, sniffing them briefly. She had to admit, their mixed aroma was quite nice. She wondered how Clark came up with this combination. She laid them aside and looked back to Clark whose hands, now devoid of flowers, fidgeted nervously with the belt loops of his jeans. "But shouldn’t you be giving flowers to Lana? You two kiss and make up already?"

"Chloe, are you leaving anytime soon? Because I thought maybe the two of us-"

"Oh, hold up there, Mr. Avoiding the Question. Did you and Lana talk things out?" Chloe questioned him again. Clark looked at her, a look she was unable to read, which was weird. Then he turned on his heel and motioned for her to follow him into the semi-private room that was just off the basement’s main floor. Chloe did, her heels clacking, and shut the door behind her. "What’s with the closet act, Clark?"

Clark looked down at Chloe. He could see the nervousness in her eyes, even though she fought hard to shield it from him. Clark knew this was the moment, the moment when he would need to work harder than he ever had before because Chloe wouldn’t make it easy on him. But she was worth it. He couldn’t help smiling.

"We broke up," Clark told her simply.

Chloe looked at him in shock. Lana and Clark broke up? How was that possible? “Clark… But, why? She knows you were hypnotized. I told her the other night after I took you home.”

"Thanks, Chloe. You’re always looking out for me," Clark replied as he shook her shoulders affectionately. "But that’s not why we broke up."

"Then, I don’t understand. Why?" As Chloe finished her sentence, she identified the emotion swimming in Clark’s eyes as he watched her. It was how he used to look at Lana all those years ago when they were younger. It was longing. And love? No. "Oh, no. Clark, no, you didn’t." She backed away from him, her hand out in front of her warding him off.

"Chloe," he said her name sweetly. "I was an idiot. I was scared. I was every other word you want to use for stupid. When we were fifteen and we went to the Spring Formal, that week when we were together, was one of the happiest times I can remember."

Chloe’s eyes were wide with wonder at hearing him talk about things that happened so long ago. Reaching out, Clark grasped her small hand in his, pulling her closer to him until she stood an inch from him. He held her hand to his chest and stroked it with his free one.

"Please believe the only reason I ran out on you was to _save a friend._ That’s all Lana was and if I was in the market of telling myself the truth, that’s all she ever has been. I fooled myself into thinking she was more because I was scared, Chloe. I was scared of what we could have had. After I offered to make the date up to you and you said you only wanted to be friends, I didn’t fight for you because of my fear. It was easier and safer to go back to what I knew,” Clark told her, aware she was still fighting him.

"Stop it, Clark. You don’t know what you are saying. You said yourself in the Talon it wasn’t _easy_ with you and Lana anymore. Admit it, Clark. That is why you’re bailing. Whenever things get tough, you get going. It’s what you always do!” Chloe exclaimed as she drug her hand away from him. “Now, there is still time. We can fix things with Lana.”

"I don’t want to fix things with Lana! Chloe Sullivan you are not easy!" Clark shouted back at her. "You are complicated and annoying and stubborn and pushy. If you were a foot taller, you would be Lois. Trust me, when I say that you are anything except easy. And I want you, all the same. I’ve wanted you for a long time but I refused to see it. I see it now."

"You know, Clark, even if all this was true, who says I still feel that way for you, Clark? So I kissed you. You’re my best friend and I had just woke up from a coma. Emotions run away with me sometimes. But that doesn’t mean I’m still coo-coo for Clark. I’ve moved on," Chloe told him with a harsh look as she grasped the doorknob. Chloe pulled the door open, escaping from Clark and the inevitable abandonment if this conversation were allowed to continue. Clark’s next words made Chloe halt, her hand frozen on the golden knob.

"I want to let you in on a little secret. I’m not who you think I am. I’m the girl of your dreams, masquerading as your best friend," Clark read quietly, his low voice becoming slightly gruff.

Chloe turned slowly. Clark stood exactly where she left him, dressed in his usual uniform of worn jeans and red shirt under a blue jacket. In his hand he held a frayed, crumpled looking pink scrap of paper. Her heart melted a little.

"Where did get that?" Chloe asked. She remembered writing that. She remembered reading it to him while he lay on his couch, sick and barely conscious with fever. She remembered the pain that ripped through her when he muttered, "Lana".

"A friend," Clark responded before he continued. " Sometimes I want to rip off this facade like I did at the Spring Formal, but I can’t because you’ll get scared and you’ll run away again. So I decided it’s better to live with the lie than expose my true feelings. My Dad told me there are two types of girls. The ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I’m the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I’ll let you go for now, hoping one day you’ll fly back to me because," Clark lifted his eyes to hers before he went on.

Chloe stood there, poised with tears shimmering in her eyes.

"I think you’re worth the wait," Clark finished. "You said yourself you’re my dream girl. Haven’t we waited long enough?"

Clark closed the space between them once more, stuffing the note back into his pocket with care. “Chloe, I know you still feel something. I can see it in your eyes. Please forgive me for taking so long to come back to you. Don’t punish me for my earlier mistakes, I promise I’ve learned from them-“

"Shut up, Clark," Chloe choked out. With both hands she pulled Clark down and kissed him with a fiery passion that shocked even her. Clark stood motionless and then gathered Chloe as close to him as possible. The contentment he recalled flowed through him and he knew this was right. So right he would never understand how he had lived so long without it. But he didn’t need to worry about that anymore. Chloe was his. Always had been.

Chloe kissed Clark until there was no air left in her lungs. Only when her light-headedness intensified did she pull back, her face wet with her tears. Clark opened his eyes and looked at her. With a sad smile, he raised a hand and gently wiped her tears away.

"Are these good tears?" Clark asked hesitantly.

"Yes! Yes! They’re happy tears. Oh, Clark, I’ve waited so long to hear you say those words. I just forgot until you read me that note…" Her voice trailed off. She almost couldn’t believe she was standing in the circle of Clark’s arms but the strong presence of his solid build told her it was real.

"Chloe, if I had known," Clark started.

"No," Chloe shook her head. "What’s important is we’re together now. You’re sure?" Chloe couldn’t help the small doubt still residing in the back of her mind.

"I’ve never been more sure of anything. You’re the girl I need, Chloe. The girl I want. The girl of my dreams," Clark said softly as he kissed her on the nose. "What do you say we get out of here?"

"I’d say that’s the best idea you’ve had in a while," Chloe said. The two shared another kiss, both clinging to each other as if they’d been lost and had only just found the other. Which in a sense they had. A slight cough from the door got their attention. A janitor, with his trusty mop frowned at them. Clark reluctantly released Chloe, missing her warmth already. But she kept a grip on his hand, as if he were lifeline.

"Coffee?" He suggested on their way past her desk.

"Please," Chloe replied as she snatched up her flowers.

As they reached the double doors, Clark told her, “Remind me to tell you about this dream I had.”

And they walked out of the bullpen hand in hand.


End file.
